The Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers (CMSC) will form a new Physician Assistant Special Interest Group to provide physician assistants (PAs) with a specialized forum to exchange ideas and information on multiple sclerosis (MS) patient care.
CMSC is an educational, training, and networking organization for MS healthcare professionals and researchers. The Physician Assistant Special Interest Group (PA-SIG) also will promote the PAs in MS care and provide guidance on career development, latest treatments for MS, novel management strategies, and research approaches.
The CMSC mission is to promote top quality MS care through education, accreditation, networking events, research funding, journals and papers, and advocacy efforts. The CMSC also offers opportunities for professional collaboration, access to several continuing medical education (CME) classes, and mentoring from CMSC members.
“A PA’s role in MS care is becoming increasingly important as they are often the frontline of communication with the physician, patient, and other healthcare professionals. CMSC’s PA-SIG will be an important resource for education and information sharing that will strengthen these practitioners’ knowledge of this complex disease,” Amy Dix, of the Kansas City Multiple Sclerosis Center, said in a press release.
The CMSC will have its 32nd annual meeting from May 30-June 2, 2018, at the Nashville Music City Center, in Nashville, Tennessee. The new PA-SIG will hold roundtable discussions and networking opportunities for PAs to meet.
CMSC’s 31st annual meeting was held this year, on May 24-27, in New Orleans. The meeting gathered healthcare professionals who reviewed themselves in the organization’s mission. Debate categories included diagnosis and prognosis, mental health, psychosocial issues, comprehensive clinical care, epidemiology, and patient-reported outcomes.
The meeting also invited doctoral and post-doctoral fellow researchers to submit proposals for the Whitaker Research Track, which was held May 26. The panel discussed MS research, and a prize, honoring John N. Whitaker, was given to encourage young scientists to enter or continue in the field.
When this year’s event was announced, June Halper, CMSC’s CEO, said: “The CMSC Annual Meeting is a unique educational forum where the entire healthcare team, professionals in training and scientists can learn about the latest advancements in MS patient care, research and treatment that will expand their knowledge of this complex disease and positively impact patient care.”
By Carolina Henriques
