This year, AMTA had their National Convention in Washington, DC and this year was the first year that the AOD (assembly of delegates) commenced. This was also the first year that all delegates would be sitting at round tables instead of delegates separated by chapters at long tables. Most round tables consisted of 8 delegates per table and the mixture of delegates from other chapters created an elevated discussion. This way we all could collaborate on proposed position statements and discussion topics.
In prior years, chapter delegates didn’t discuss any topics amongst other chapters and rarely amongst each other. I think last year or a few years ago, the house decided to try something new by having chapter delegates discuss a position statement with other chapter delegates which I thought was very effective! So now that the new AOD has created a mixture of delegates from other chapters around a table, I’ve probably changed my mind a few times being that many delegates with different backgrounds bring different thoughts and ideas to the table. This was the first year that I’ve felt connected to other AMTA delegates. All delegates really seemed to be more engaged than prior years which made a huge difference in the flow and balance of the assembly!
I feel the AOD is going in the right direction by creating a platform for more critical thinking rather than getting stuck in a place of emotional thinking which makes for skewed decisions. The AOD has a platform for delegates to discuss and voice their opinions on a topic then on a yes vote, the proposed position statement goes to a research committee and then the legal team puts it all together. This is a completely different protocol than in years past. This is great for our profession especially as we move closer and closer into the integrated healthcare field.