I'll give you some ideas for an "Ideal" breastfeeding conference or seminar for physicians. 1. It should be some place easy to get to. [that goes for parking, too] 2. Food is always appreciated. 3. Monday is not a good day to schedule anything - it's the busiest day of the week. 4. It's nice to have it "tied in" to something the docs have to attend anyway [grand rounds or department meeting] 5. Avoid dinner meetings/seminars - our spouses and families see us infrequently enough already. 6. Have at least some doctors as speakers [doctors like listening to other doctors] 7. Have topics that sound "useful" [we already know "breast is best" so that's not a good topic but how about "tricks for managing jaundice in the breastfed baby"] 8. Give CME credit. 9. Market the seminar as a morning and afternoon session - some docs can't afford to take off a whole day, but may be able to do one or the other. Help them see this as an option. 10. Start early and end early - if a doc does take a day off to attend and he can get home early as well, it's more of an incentive to go. 11. As to the issue of charging for it - that's a good idea in that we value things more if we have to pay for them - I would pick a small fee, because while some docs have CME allowances, a lot of others don't and you want it to seem like a bargain. For example $20 for either morning or afternoon session, and $30 for all day with mention made that text books [and lunch] will be given to all participants. That way someone doesn't feel that they are wasting money if they can only come to one session, and both sessions together seem like a great deal. [This can also cover the cost of your textbooks] 12. Have clear handouts - not just general outlines - for each talk. 13. Have a question and answer time built in at the end - in the program - doctors like to be able to "pick the brains" of the speaker on an informal basis. 14. Advertise well - at least 6 weeks in advance. Gail S. Hertz MD, IBCLC [log in to unmask] *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html