Originally published July 14, 2017 on the AADE17 Preview.

Summer is here and that means AADE17 is right around the corner.  As you finish preparations for your trip to Indianapolis, including plans to walk along the canals and drink craft beers at the City Market, it is a great idea to review the Onsite Meeting Guide or the online planner and start scouting sessions of interest. Do you have specific learning objectives that you would like to achieve at the conference? Don’t be afraid to attend some sessions that might be in areas new to you.

There are some remarkable opportunities to see research being conducted and translated as part of clinical practice at AADE17. Scientific research is the foundation of what diabetes educators do; why not hear about it firsthand? For some, research sessions might sound intriguing but for others, not so much. If you fall into the first group, you will not need much persuading in this area. Others might read “research” and assume it refers to overwhelming, boring or impractical information.

Scientific research is the foundation of what diabetes educators do.

I am here to tell you these are all misperceptions! Listening to research-based presentations will inform you of what colleagues are doing in other areas of the country and this information if often clearer than reading it in a manuscript. You also have the opportunity to ask questions! The research-based presentations at AADE17 will share clinical stories with the audience. Presenters will summarize their inquiries and investigations into various areas of diabetes management. Some may result in expected outcomes, while others may surprise us.

What can you plan to take away from attending research presentations?

• Inspiration for innovation
• Strategies you can include in your own practice
• Experiences from practitioners around the country
• Original data shared for the first time at AAD17

To make your planning a little easier, here is some of the research being presented at AADE17:

Friday:

• The Power of “Me Too”: An Analysis of Peer Health in the Diabetes Online Community
• Hot Topics in Nutrition Management and Dietary Patterns Across the Diabetes Spectrum: Translating Research into Practice

Saturday:

• Seeking Answers to the Burning Questions: Research in Diabetes Education

Sunday:

• Why Words Matter in Diabetes Education

Take advantage of these research sessions. Approach the conference with the anticipation of discovery. You will be surprised at the information available and the impact it can have on your practice. Who knows? Maybe you will present research of your own at a future annual conference.