How to make the most out of the APHA Conference? With the 2019 APHA Conference beginning yesterday, I thought this would be great time to share insights I got from attending as a master of public health candidate (MPH) both years of my program.
As a student of public health, I think it is extremely important to get exposure at a conference like the APHA Conference.
APHA Conference boast over 13,000 attendees spanning the vast field of public health. There are countless presentations (oral and poster), networking opportunities, and ways to learn more about the public health field.
However going a conference of this size, you should really strategically think about how you want to approach it to get the most out of it.
No two people are going to have the same experience at APHA, but this article will help you to better make the most out of your time for the APHA Conference.
Support The Public Health Millennial on BuyMeACoffee
If you haven’t already, definitely check out my article on “6 Reasons you should attend the APHA Conference as a MPH Student.”
This will give you insights of what can be done at APHA and why it is such a great opportunity for you to better yourself.
And it is full of great opportunities for students, professionals and anyone for that matter of fact.
The Must Dos of the APHA Conference
Know your Elevator Pitch
When meeting new people at the APHA Conference you will want to ensure that you have a short story about your professional self or in other words an elevator pitch.
(Check out my article: How to Create a Good Elevator Pitch: 6 Steps)
Having your elevator pitch ready to go will be important so that you can have a natural conversation about your interest and what you want to get out a conversation.
Even if it is just a short blurb about the school you go to or the organization you work for and what interest you have in the field or the role you have in your job. This will be important to start the conversation that may help you secure that internship, new job or meet the mentor to take you career to the next level.
Download and use APHA mobile app
The absolute first thing you want to do is download the official APHA Conference mobile app. Download it here.
There is also a desktop version that you can use that will automatically sync with the mobile app.
This app is hugely beneficial especially as there is going to be so much simultaneously going on during the APHA Conference.
The app allows you to create an online plan of different sessions you will want to attend. And yes, you can always update this as you see fit.
To log into the app you will need your registration ID and your Last Name. The app can also help you find where you want to be with its animated maps.
You can search the app by:
- Browse by Day
- Browse by Program
- Search for sessions
- By presenter
- By theme
- By Topic
Start your APHA Conference the right way by setting up at least a draft schedule of the sessions you want to attend.
Visit the Public Health Expo Sooner than Later
At the APHA Conference there is going to be a large exhibition called the Public Health Expo.
The exhibition hall contains companies in public health, many different organization that you can partner with as well as public health schools (programs) that are there to provide very valuable information.
This is one of the best opportunities during the conference to meet face-to-face with 100s of people. Everyone is always so willing to hear your story and see how they can best help you (or you can best help them).
Whether you are just there to learn about companies or organizations, looking for a Masters or PhD program to attend or looking for job opportunities, the public health expo is the place to visit.
Additionally, there is going to be some much free swag you can get, so ensure to bring your bags. Make sure you are only taking things you actually will need and use, because Global Warming.
At the Public Health Expo at the APHA Conference you can also network with students or other public health professionals to learn more about their interest in the field. This will help you expand what you know about the public health field and by doing this you may find out about new trends and best practices in the field.
Another cool thing about the expo hall is that there are usually some scientific journal companies present that will be giving away free printed copies of relevant public health information.
Interact with lectures/poster presenters
So you have your schedule for sessions set up and you know which presentations you are going to attend.
If you are truly intrigued and inspired by a lecturer then I suggest that you ask them a question in the allotted Q&A. Or if you want to take it to the next level then I suggest you take the time afterwards to go up and introduce yourself, share something or ask thoughtful question. And of course exchange business cards or contact info.
The APHA Conference truly has the ability to bring together public health professionals (and students) from so many different fields and geographic locations around the country and world.
There are going to be industry experts that may spark new interest for you or just open up your eyes to new opportunities in the ever growing public health field.
You should always take the first step to introduce yourself to these persons and you never know what else may come out of this. Maybe the opportunity to work on some innovative research, or an internship or job.
If you are attending poster sessions then this can be a lot more intimate and less rushed than meeting presenters of oral presentations.
Poster presentations more than likely let you dive deeper into the research of an individual or a team. You will probably be able to ask a lot more questions and get more one-on-one interaction.
Some good questions to ask poster presenters (and oral) are:
- Why did you decide to do research on this topic?
- How did you choose the methodology?
- What new things did you learn from doing this research?
- Do you have any future research plans?
Check out the City
I think many people try to do so much during APHA Conference that they forget to enjoy the little things like checking out the new city that they are visiting.
I love conferences for the opportunity to be able to explore new cities. Whether this is with peers or with new connections you made.
These experiences outside of the actual conference allow you to bond and create deeper relationships than can’t be made in a professional setting.
I highly suggest that you take the time either after the conference or in the mornings to check out some cool things in the city that the APHA Conference is located. In 2019’s case this is Philadelphia.
Take Notes
If you know me, I am all about taking notes. And good notes at that.
The APHA Conference allows you so many opportunities to gain new insights and learn new and innovative things happening in the public health field.
This can be from oral or poster presentations, networking, or from the public health expo.
You will want to ensure that you are remembering the important things that you are learning throughout your conference experience, and what better way to do this than to write down what you are learning. Simple enough?
So however you are taking notes make sure that you making notes that you can look back on and recall on this important information.
Another great thing you can do is to take pictures of slides that you find impactful.
Business Cards Exchanging
You will want to have a strategy for exchanging business cards.
Unless your business card is a virtual one like ‘Bizz Card‘ or ‘DigiCard‘ which has the benefits of not having to hold business cards and making it easy to share you business card while also being free. The downside to this is that most people are going to be having traditional business cards and i’m pretty sure you have to download the app to be able to share business cards on here.
A simple business card exchanging strategy would be to have your business cards in your front pocket and collect other persons business cards in your back pocket.
Whatever you decide to choose, you will want to have a quick and easy way to share and collect business cards with individuals that you are meeting. You are going to be meeting a lot of people.
You can always write notes on peoples business cards so that you know what conversation you had with them when following up.
What Not to Do at the APHA Conference
NEVER, I repeat NEVER, feel obligated to stay in a session that you thought would be more interesting than it actually is.
There is way to much going on at APHA Conference for you to waste your time (and money) being somewhere you are getting absolutely no value. Just leave as quietly as you can and go explore something else that sparks more of an interest.
Another thing you don’t want to be doing is just hanging around the same people for the entire APHA Conference.
There is so much to learn from just hanging and connecting with new people. You can always go back to people you already know and bounce new ideas you’ve learnt throughout your time at the conference.
Meet people, learn and grow.
What I Wish I Did Differently at the APHA Conference
One thing that I wish I did was re-connect with people either through LinkedIn or sending a follow-up email quicker.
People are going to be meeting 100s of people during the APHA Conference so it will be important to ensure that you follow up with people the same day you get their business card or contact info if you are interested in learning or connecting with them.
Most people these days are going to have a LinkedIn profile. So you will want to try to connect with them on LinkedIn ASAP and if you truly want to connect a little deeper, send them a message saying thank you and with a call to action.
Another thing I wish I did differently was not do too much too quickly during the APHA Conference.
There is so much going on during the conference that you will want to make sure that you are not trying to do too much. I say this just because you don’t want to be too exhausted and not really absorb the information and insights you are learning.
Make sure to choose activities strategically to better enhance your conference experience.
Take a break and attend the short film sessions that are hosted. This is a great way to relax and rewind a bit before going back into the conference.
Other Cool Conference Info
Public Health School Socials
There are these cool socials that most of the public health schools (programs) host as socials. These are amazing!
These socials are usually hosted at night during the last 3 nights (Monday November 3-Wednesday 6 November for the 2019 conference).
Usually these socials are open to everyone. This can be a great way to learn more about a program or get to know people from a specific school. Plus there is usually free food!
Industry Expert Theatre
This is an exclusive sneak peek that exhibiting companies use to show conference attendees new products and services.
The industry expert theatre is created in a way to give attendees a very interactive display of what the companies are offering.
Check out the 2019 Industry Expert Theatre at PACC, Exhibit Halls AB, Booth #617. Here is the schedule of these displays.
Professional Head Shot
APHA also offers an opportunity for attendees to take free headshots. This is usually in the exhibition area and at specific times so check the APHA app for more information.
I would say the two years I’ve attended the APHA Conference, the line has been very long. So ensure that you are setting aside time to do this if you want a free headshot taken.
And as always dress appropriately, smile and have a great professional head shot.
Mix and Mingle Lounge
There is going to be a mix and mingle lounge where people are going to be intentionally ‘mixing and mingle,’ in a professional way of course.
This lounge makes it easy for you to meet and learn from new people in the public health field. And you never know who you may meet at one of these.
Conclusion
The APHA Conference is a great way to learn and enhance your public health career. Whether you are a student or a professional, APHA offers numerous ways for you to develop and grow your public health career.
With over 13,000 attendees annually, this conference offers ample opportunity to network and learn about new innovations in the public health field.
It will be important to strategically think about how you can best use your time to learn through this amazing conference.
This article walked you through:
- The Must Dos of the APHA Conference
- What Not To Do at the APHA Conference
- What I Wish I Did Differently at the APHA Conference
- Other Cool Conference Info
If you are attending APHA as a student, I highly recommend you take in as much of it as possible. This sort of learning can really help shape your career in public health and help you to choose a career you are truly passionate about.
What are you looking forward to doing at the APHA Conference this year?
