HOUSTON — The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) Conference and Exposition, held May 18-22 at the George R. Brown Convention Center, featured its largest exhibit yet in 2024.
“It’s the fastest-growing healthcare profession in the United States, so we continue to see growing interest,” said Anthony Maggiore, CMP, CED, senior director of conferences and meetings at AAPA, adding that AAPA’s outreach efforts have also helped fuel that growth. “We’re starting to see more and more companies taking an interest in medical assistants and being able to connect with them.”
AAPA also enjoys a strong continuing student presence, as evidenced by the record number of teams competing in its National Medical Challenge Bowl, a Jeopardy-style student game show.
PA Night Out, the event’s off-site networking experience, also saw huge attendance, bringing its venue, Stampede (Houston’s largest dance floor), to near capacity.
“The spirit and enthusiasm of the PAs is so intoxicating, and being in a room with 3,500 of our members and having the opportunity to let loose and have fun is so rewarding…we really give them the opportunity to just socialize with their peers, let go of the daily stresses that they endure and just have a fun night,” shared Maggiore.
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New attractions
AAPA focused this year on exhibition participation and improving exhibitor ROI. This included adding dedicated exhibition hours to the conference and introducing new features to the show floor.
New attractions included two pickleball courts and a pet cuddle and hug area, which Maggiore called “everyone’s new favorite area … (and) extremely popular,” where attendees could play with puppies from a local shelter to relax and unwind.
AAPA’s biggest initiative, Maggiore said, was the Made in Houston Marketplace, a pop-up shop where 14 local small businesses showcased handmade goods, clothing and art. Visit Houston, the city’s convention and visitor bureau, helped recruit vendors and contributed to the feature.
“We wanted to find a way to connect with the local community. When you travel to a conference, your days tend to be very busy from early morning until late at night, and unless you decide to ditch the conference for a day and really go explore the city, you don’t have a lot of time to see what the city has to offer. That’s why we created this marketplace,” Maggiore said. “We were really able to bring the essence of the city into our exhibit space.”
Maggiore hopes to include a similar exhibit hall destination at AAPA 2025, scheduled for May 17-21 in Denver.
“This is a city that has historically been very successful in attracting this group of visitors… We can continue to ride this wave of growth and excitement, and we’re certainly not going to rest on our laurels. The focus in 2025 will be on innovation, both from a content and exhibition perspective.”
Contact Anthony Maggiore at amaggiore@aapa.org