I admit that sometimes when I write about the planning conversations that Scott and I have, I take a bit of artistic license with the actual text of those conversations. Shocking, I know. However, I promise you that the re-creation below of our recent lunchtime CMEpalooza Spring planning meeting is almost 100% accurate.
Derek & Scott: [spend 55 minutes talking about the Eagles, Sixers, work, our offspring, how expensive college is, etc.]
Scott, as the server brings us our bill: Well, I guess we should talk about CMEpalooza Spring [opens up notebook]
Derek: [completely empty-handed and looking baffled] You have notes? Why? Aren’t we just going to ask people to submit abstracts like we usually do?
Scott: Yes, but I have a few other ideas I thought we could disc-
Derek: [standing up so fast he bangs his knee on the table] OK, I think we’re done here…
Yes, it’s that time of year, and the planning has begun for CMEpalooza Spring (it’s on Wednesday, April 16. Save the date in your calendar if you haven’t already.) As in the past few years, we want to include a broad range of the CE community in the planning and development process of the CMEpalooza Spring agenda. Anyone is welcome to submit an idea for a CMEpalooza Spring session, though it would probably help if it’s a good idea (we tend to like those).
The process is fairly simple. If you have an idea for a session that you would like to lead at CMEpalooza Spring, just complete the CMEpalooza Spring 2025 Abstract Submission form by the end of the day on Wednesday, February 12. After that, Scott and I will review all the proposals we receive and select at least five for the official Spring agenda. If there are more that we like, we may hold onto some ideas for the Fall event, as well.
Here are a few guidelines:
- This is a virtual conference and all sessions are done via StreamYard. It’s easy.
- Proposals will only be considered if they are submitted either via the abstract submission form or by carrier pigeon. Choose whichever method is easier for you, but remember that I have two cats and one of them is nuts. CMEpalooza cannot guarantee the safe return of your pigeon.
- The deadline for proposals to be submitted is 9 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 12.
- We are open to pretty much any idea as long as it relates in some way to CME/CE. The more creative, the better. My dream is for someone to propose a musical (this is not Scott’s dream). (note from Scott: Derek just returned from the Wicked Sing-Along so his dream is more desperate than ever. He recommends leading with “No One Mourns the Rejected Grant Proposal” and going from there)
- Interactive formats with multiple presenters, such as panel sessions and interviews, are encouraged. If you want to figure out a unique way to incorporate our audience response platform (Poll Everywhere) into your session, that’s totally fine too.
- Please verify the availability of all presenters for the date of CMEpalooza (Wednesday, April 16) before submitting their name in your proposal. Or at least have some sort of contingency plan if they cannot participate.
- We don’t want to limit creativity, so there isn’t a limit on the number of proposals you can submit, but please use common sense and be reasonable. We will likely only choose one proposal for which you are listed as the lead contact, so don’t submit 10 proposals or something crazy like that.
- While it’s not a hard and fast rule, we’d prefer that you not simply submit a proposal that mirrors a presentation you gave at another conference within the last 12 months. At the very least, give it a unique spin.
- We will notify you within a week of the abstract submission deadline if your proposal has been accepted or not.
- If you have any questions, feel free to email Derek (thecmeguy@gmail.com) or Scott (scott@excaliburmeded.com), or find us at the Alliance conference this week.
I think that about covers it. I especially want to encourage people who have never presented at CMEpalooza to submit a proposal. We are always happy to have new faces at CMEpalooza. Maybe you are intimidated by getting up in a front of a room full of your colleagues and presenting material — not a problem with CMEpalooza. Maybe you are worried that your idea would be too “out there” for a traditional conference — not a problem with CMEpalooza. Maybe you are just too lazy to want to put together a slide deck for a presentation — so are we, which is why we often encourage our panelists to use few (if any) slides.
Give it a shot.
Click here for the CMEpalooza Spring 2025 Abstract Submission form
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