From May 26-31, the Metro Toronto Convention Center (MTCC) will host the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) 40th Annual Conference. Known as IMPACT 2012, the event will attract 4,000 physician assistants from the U.S. as well as their Canadian counterparts.
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“The AAPA has selected a world-class city with Toronto and the MTCC as their first-ever international venue for IMPACT,” said Barry Smith, president and CEO, MTCC. “Attendees will have access to the amazing amenities our diverse city has to offer, and their participation in IMPACT 2012 will benefit our local economy with $10,000,000 million in visitor spending.”
IMPACT 2012 is the world’s largest physician assistant conference of its kind, where attendees develop and enhance their knowledge and skills to improve patient care. A physician assistant is a medical professional, educated alongside physicians, who works as part of a team with a doctor. Physician assistants perform physical examinations, diagnose and treat illnesses, order and interpret lab tests, perform procedures, assist in surgery, provide patient education and counseling and make rounds in hospitals and nursing homes.
Though the physician assistant profession has existed in the U.S. for more than 40 years, its influence is spreading to other countries, including Canada, where the profession is gaining traction.
“We believe it is a good thing for U.S. and Canadian physician assistants to share ideas and look at healthcare challenges from different perspectives,” said Robert Wooten, president, AAPA. “Physician assistants increase access to quality healthcare that benefits patients and is cost-effective for the healthcare system. Hosting IMPACT 2012 in Toronto provides an opportunity for Canadian physician assistants to meet and share ideas with their American counterparts.”
