Futures Program
The need for healthcare professionals to provide competent, compassionate, and committed clinical professionals is in high demand. The Futures Program is a one-year learning experience designed to introduce a career in post-acute and long-term care (PALTC) medicine for residents, fellows, advanced practice providers, and allied health professionals.
The program begins with an intensive one-day learning experience geared toward clinicians early in their careers. Held in conjunction with the PALTC25 annual conference, the program exposes practitioners to the numerous career opportunities available in PALTC medicine.
Futures Connect, a year-round program, provides resources and interaction with PALTC leaders in anticipation that participants will remain engaged with colleagues throughout their careers.
The application deadline is Monday, November 18, 2024.
2025 Future Program Brochure
Learning Objectives
Upon completing the Futures Program, participants should be able to:
- Recognize the variety of ways to practice in the PALTC setting.
- Delineate the roles and responsibilities of providers/medical directors who serve in PALTC settings.
- Depict the contributions of the interdisciplinary team.
- Describe components of PALTC settings, including clinical capabilities, financing, commonly used terms, and acronyms.
- List membership benefits, such as professional community participation, advocacy for setting, practice, and patient-specific needs, and CME/CE opportunities in engaging learning formats.
Eligibility
- PGY IV or V Geriatric Medicine/Geriatric Psych Fellows
- PGY II or III Internal Medicine or Family Physician Residents
- Advanced Practitioners: Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants
- Allied Health professionals completing their training or new to the setting
- Previous participants are not eligible to apply
Benefits
The Foundation for Post-Acute & Long-Term Care Medicine is proud to provide the funding to support the Futures Program. Program participants, upon acceptance into the Futures Program, will receive the following benefits:
- Admission to the Futures Program on Thursday, March 13. Attendance at this all-day event is required.
- 3-Day Registration to the PALTC25 annual conference from March 13-15, 2025, in Charlotte, NC. Daily attendance at PALTC25 is required.
- One year of association membership beginning January 2025. Membership benefits include a JAMDA subscription, access to the member forum, and education discounts.
- Participants will have access to resources provided through Futures Connect, the year-long online program that offers platforms for networking, discussions about topics of clinical interest, and open discussions with PALTC leaders.
Program Agenda
Agenda to be provided.
Application Process
Please prepare the following items to upload with your online application:
- Letter of Interest (LOI) – Your LOI should be no more than 250 words and describe your interest in long-term care practice and why you feel you will benefit from participating in this program.
- Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- A current high-resolution photograph
Please read and accept the Futures Program Policies before submitting the online application. Submitting your Futures Program application indicates that you have read and accepted the Futures Program Policies.
Following the submission of your online application, a letter of Support (LOS) from the applicant’s program director or association member must be emailed to futures@paltc.org. Your application will not be complete until we receive the LOS.
Futures Program Policies
Cancellation Policy
This policy provides a cancellation procedure for Futures participants should a cancellation be necessary.
Statement of Policy
If a Futures participant must decline or withdraw from the Futures Program, they must contact the association's program manager immediately by phone and in writing. The participant’s program director will also be notified of the cancellation.
Travel Policy
This policy aims to ensure consistent procedures among Futures participants awarded funding for travel and hotel expenses from the Foundation for PALTC Medicine; it does not apply to those whose expenses are paid by another organization or the participant.
Statement of Travel Policy
- Travel arrangements, including changes and cancellations should be made directly by the Futures participant. Flight changes and cancellation fees will be the Futures participant's responsibility.
- Futures participants are required to complete a yearly survey from PALTmed's Workforce Development Committee.
- If the conference location is within driving distance of the participant, the participant will be reimbursed for mileage (federal rate) and parking fees.
- The Foundation will pay for the PALTC25 annual conference registration directly. Participants should not purchase the registration.
- Staff will make the hotel accommodations in PALTmed’s annual conference room block. Participants who receive funding from the Foundation are required to stay in the conference room block. If they require private accommodation, the Foundation will provide two nights of hotel accommodations, and the participant will be responsible for additional nights.
- Futures participants will be responsible for the costs of ground transportation to/from the conference and any food costs (breakfast and lunch will be provided on the day of the Futures Program).
Requirement
Futures participants must complete a yearly survey from PALTmed's Workforce Development Committee.
Online Application
Testimonials
I heard about a conference in San Diego when I was a fellow. I honestly did not know much about what PALTmed did, but San Diego sounded lovely, so I applied for some program named “Futures” to facilitate offset my costs, and I’ve never looked back! It was transformative because once there, I felt I’d found my professional home and was intrigued by the prospect of focusing my career on long-term care. I met colleagues from Colorado. The day after I finished my fellowship, I started as the medical director of a struggling building, and the fun began! Fortunately, I always had PALTmed colleagues and resources to help guide me through those challenging waters. I’m grateful that at every step along my career path, PALTmed has been there to help me professionally and personally. Wonderful to know that all of this nurturing started with Futures!
I was thrilled to be a part of the program. I was the only social worker in the group, but I remember feeling welcomed by everyone! It was also my first time at the PALTC conference, and being a part of FUTURES helped me to feel connected in what otherwise would have been a very overwhelming experience. I am happy to report that I was awarded my first NIH grant as PI, an R21 entitled The Impact of Live Discharge from Hospice on Patients and Caregivers.
For me, participating in the Futures Program was life-changing. It gave me a vision for what a career in PALTC medicine could be and provided me with a community that has helped me realize that vision.
I think for many people, this journey toward PALTC leadership begins at the Futures Program, so I will always be a strong advocate of the program.
My experience as a Futures participant encouraged me to redirect my practice in geriatrics and focus my effort towards achieving better: better outcomes for my patients, better practice surrounding inclusive healthcare in my community, and maintaining better self-care to continue advocacy and awareness regarding aging.
