CMEpalooza Spring is a 1-day event scheduled for Wednesday, April 16, that will feature a series of sessions relevant across the CME/CE spectrum. Broadcasts will stream live on the LIVE page of this website and be available for viewing shortly after their conclusion on the Archive page. There is no charge to view or participate in any of these sessions.
CMEPALOOZA SPRING AGENDA
840 AM ET
Mindfulness Session Sponsored by QDcme (view archive)
This 15-minute, virtual mindfulness session will help attendees center themselves and enhance their focus before CMEpalooza begins. We will guide participants through mindfulness techniques, which involve maintaining moment-to-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, and surroundings without judgment. By practicing mindfulness, attendees can improve their working memory, increase information processing speed, and reduce task-unrelated thoughts, ultimately enhancing their learning experience during CMEpalooza Spring.
Facilitator
Theresa Curameng
Co-director and Instructor
College Park Yoga
Orlando, FL
9 AM ET
Breakfast Session Sponsored by Med Learning Group
Advancing CME in Underserved Communities: Educating Healthcare Providers in the VA (view archive)
Moderator
Tom Bregartner, VP, Outcomes and Accreditation, Med Learning Group
Panelists
Sarah Hauze, PhD, CMPP, Medical Grant Director, Med Learning Group
Francesca Biasucci, MPT, Manager, Global Medical Affairs, Independent Medical Education, Jazz Pharmaceuticals
10 AM ET
Pineapple, Pizza, and CPD: Mixing the Right Ingredients for Success (view archive)
Session Sponsored by AcademicCME and Healio CME
Is pineapple on pizza a creative twist on a classic or a culinary crime? The answer depends on who you ask—and in the world of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), similar debates exist. Should CPD strictly follow time-tested best practices, or is there room to experiment with new formats, technologies, and learning approaches?
Welcome to “CPD: The Great Debate – Pineapple on Pizza?” where we tackle the ongoing tension between tradition and innovation in continuing education. A panel of CPD experts—ranging from those who advocate for tried-and-true methods (the “classic cheese and pepperoni” crowd) to those who embrace new ideas and creative strategies (the “pineapple lovers”)—will explore how CPD can evolve while still maintaining its integrity and effectiveness. Some CPD elements must remain unchanged (like a solid pizza crust—accreditation and compliance!), while others benefit from innovation and fresh ideas (like adding unexpected toppings—gamification, microlearning, and AI!).
Through live polling, audience-submitted questions, and interactive debate, we’ll explore when to stick to tradition, when to experiment, and when a blend of both is the best recipe for success.
Session Highlights:
- Classic vs. Creative: Panelists debate when CPD should adhere to long-standing best practices and when it should embrace new trends
- The Right Recipe: How do we balance compliance, engagement, and innovation without losing effectiveness?
- Live Polling & Audience Insights: Attendees vote on CPD dilemmas—stick with tradition, mix things up, or find a middle ground?
- Panelist Showdowns: Experts debate CPD’s most controversial topics—does innovation always improve education, or does it sometimes dilute the learning experience?
Whether you’re a CPD purist who believes in sticking to best practices or an innovator who loves to shake things up, this session will challenge your thinking and leave you with fresh insights. Join us for a fun, interactive conversation—just like pizza, CPD is best when shared!
Co-Moderators
Antonio Meo, Director, Medical Proficiency Acceleration Center (MPAC), Medical Affairs, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.
Amanda Jamrogiewicz, Senior Director, Educational Strategy, US HealthConnect, Inc.
Panelists
Audrie Tornow, CHCP, FACEhp, Managing Partner, Excalibur Medical Education
Greselda Butler, CHCP, FACEhp, Director, Independent Medical Education Strategy and External Relations, Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
11 AM ET
Bridging Science and Design: Collaborative Strategies for Engaging Medical Education (view archive)
Session Sponsored by HMP Education
In this session, we delve into the transformative power of visual communication in Continuing Medical Education learning. Our focus is on the creative use of visuals to simplify complex scientific/medical information, making it both engaging and accessible.
We will present compelling case studies, including interactive escape rooms and 2D animations integrating visual metaphors. These examples will highlight creative approaches, production process, and challenges, showcasing how interactive and visual elements can enhance learning.
The panel features science designers, a physician, and a provider, offering insights from multiple perspectives—the educators who shape the content and the science designers who bring visual solutions to life. This presentation aims to inspire the audience with different learning formats that integrate gamification and animations, along with tips on both the creative process and content development.
Moderator
Alexandra Ho, infograph-ed
Panelists
Cassie Ren, Science Designer,
Craig Chepke, MD, DFAPA, Scientific Director, Psych Congress
Warren Beckman, Scientific Director,
Noon ET
Lunch Session Sponsored by Projects in Knowledge
Using Patient Voice to Advance Instructional Design: A Case Study (view archive)
How can the patient voice transform instructional design in medical education? In this session, we’ll explore a real-world case study where patient advocacy meets curriculum development. Hear firsthand from a patient advocate about their journey and their experience working with a medical education provider to enhance educational programs. Discover practical strategies for integrating patient perspectives into instructional design to create more meaningful, impactful learning experiences for healthcare professionals.
Moderator
Poonam Kapadia, Vice President, Education Strategy, Projects In Knowledge Powered By Kaplan
Panelists
Natalie Goldberg, PhD, Executive Director, Scientific Content and Strategy, Projects In Knowledge Powered by Kaplan
Swapna Kakani, MPH, CEO/Founder & Healthcare Advocate, Swapna Speaks
1 PM ET
CME Buzzword…Virtual Edition! (view archive)
Session Sponsored by Medlive and Daiichi Sankyo
Let’s play a game…call it The Greatest, Most Amazing Contest, Spectacular!
What?
Too much?
Okay…how about CME Buzzword?
Still with me?
Hold on…what if I promise no clunky ARS questions? No didactic drone about the evidence for gamification? And…wait for it…a professional beatboxer?
Welcome back.
Here’s the deal…CME Buzzword! is game show in which contestants compete to be the first to identify a buzz-word or buzz-phrase common in our industry based on series of up to 3 clues. And once the magic slogan or phrase is identified…a celebrity faculty guest will provide a detailed definition via two-minute, pre-recorded video – come on, there must be an educational component.
Be the one person on your next Zoom call who knows what they’re talking about…join CME Buzzword! and learn what our jargon actually means…and have fun doing it!
We’re pushing the boundaries of whatever you’ve seen virtually…even if you don’t care about buzzwords, come watch the fantastic orchestra of us seamlessly (hope hope) transitioning between host, contestants, pre-recorded videos and yes, I did say professional beatboxer. Oomcha-oomcha wicka-wicka Tss!
Host
Jason Olivieri, VP, Outcomes, Medlive, A PlatformQ Health Brand
Announcer
David M. Clausen, CHCP, SVP, Digital Education, Medlive, A PlatformQ Health Brand
Beatboxer
JordoX
Contestants
Riaz Baxamusa, CHCP, FACEHP, MBA, Associate Director IME Grants, Astellas Pharma
Daniel Guinee, Director, Digital Education, Medlive
Amanda Kaczerski, ATC, MS, CHCP, FACEHP, Director, Med Ed Grants, Hematology, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Michael Lemon, President, Partners for Advancing Clinical Education (PACE)
Emily Tompkins Lewis, VP, Educational Strategy Development, Projects in Knowledge
Karen Roy, CEO and Co-Founder, infograph-ed
2 PM ET
Afternoon Snack Session Sponsored by Medscape
Reverse Planning with Forward Thinking (view archive)
This session will focus on the importance of maintaining transparency in Continuing Medical Education (CME). It will explore how clear communication about goals, stakeholders, instructional design, and methodologies ensures both compliance and effectiveness in educational programs, ultimately enhancing the impact on learners.
Moderator
Katie Lucero, PhD, Chief Impact Officer, Medscape
Panelists
Margaret Harris, PhD, CHCP, Senior Director, Clinical Strategy, Medscape
Ryan Fuller, RPh, CHCP, Medical Education Grant Officer, Cardiometabolic Health, Eli Lilly and Company
3 PM ET
Project ECHO®: FUNdamentals, Facets & Features (view archive)
Session Sponsored by DKBmed
This session will help you understand the basics of the Project ECHO® educational approach by describing the model, its evidence, as well as adaptions that can be made to support intended outcomes. What makes an ECHO an ECHO? What topics do and do not work for an ECHO? What makes a good ECHO faculty member? How do you create the ECHO magic? How do you elicit cases? Bring on the ECHO questions!
Panelists
Linda G. Baer, MSPH, CHCP, Grants & Diabetes Education Manager, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine Center for Continuing Education
Natalie Sanfratello, MPH, CHCP, Senior Program Manager, Quality Improvement, Educational Programs, and Contracts, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
4 PM ET
Behind the Scenes: Fellows’ Contributions to Independent Medical Education (view archive)
Session Sponsored by Global Learning Collaborative
Fellows play an essential, yet often, underrecognized role in independent medical education (IME). According to the Industry Pharmacists Organization, the number of PharmD industry fellows has significantly increased over past decade, reaching 925 fellows in 2024-2025 cycle, an increase of 253% since 2015. This surge reflects the increasing recognition of postdoctoral training as vital pathway for developing industry-ready talent. Within IME, these post-graduate trainees help shape educational strategy, participate in content development, and drive research initiatives. This session will highlight the role of post-graduate fellows and provide best practices for integrating fellows into IME. Attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how fellows support IME initiatives and how companies can leverage their skills to enhance educational programs.
Panelists
Sarah Nisly, PharmD, MEd, BCPS, FCCP, SVP, Outcomes and Insights, Clinical Education Alliance
Logan Van Ravenswaay, PharmD, 2nd year Healthcare Education and Outcomes Fellow, Clinical Education Alliance
Carley Yawn, PharmD, 1st year Healthcare Education and Outcomes Fellow, Clinical Education Alliance
Ashna Bhatnagar, PharmD, MS, Senior Medical Director, Clinical Education Alliance
CMEPALOOZA 