We look forward to seeing you in Boone this October for this impactful and inspiring event! Moving Mountains and Community Conference, taking place October 13–14, 2025, with a preconference day on October 12, at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC.

Join fellow LPNs from across North Carolina for a dynamic, knowledge-based symposium designed to elevate your role on the health care team and enhance your professional practice. Register now for early bird rate! 

We’re excited to invite you to the Charles L. Spurr Piedmont Oncology Symposium, taking place Friday, October 24, 2025, from 8:50 a.m. to 3:40 p.m. at the M.C. Benton Jr. Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC.

This in-person event is designed for a wide range of healthcare professionals—physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, navigators, and others—who are committed to excellence in hematology and oncology care. Attendees will engage in a dynamic learning environment featuring renowned faculty, evidence-based presentations, and interactive case studies.

Whether you’re working in a hospital, clinic, or community setting, this symposium offers practical strategies and the latest insights to help you navigate therapeutic and diagnostic options and improve patient outcomes.

Why Attend?

• Learn from leading experts in oncology
• Gain actionable knowledge through case-based discussions
• Network with peers across the continuum of cancer care
• Return to practice with tools to enhance care delivery

📍 Location:
M.C. Benton Jr. Convention Center
Winston-Salem, NC 27101

🔗 Register or learn more here

Northwest AHEC continues to lead the way in accessible, high-impact continuing education with its 2025 North Carolina Annual STI Update, now available as enduring material. This virtual event, held on August 13, 2025, marked a milestone with record-breaking attendance—992 participants from 98 North Carolina counties and 12 other states.

Are you passionate about supporting families through their breastfeeding journey? The 2025 North Carolina Lactation Educator Training Program is designed to equip you with the essential skills to provide compassionate, evidence-based breastfeeding support.

🖥️ Online Self-Paced Learning - Register Now

August 1 – October 24, 2025
Learn at your own pace with engaging online modules that cover:

• Prenatal and postpartum counseling
• Basic breastfeeding management
• Common clinical concerns and solutions

💡 Important Dates:

• Registration Deadline: October 17, 2025
• All Modules Must Be Completed By: October 24, 2025

🤱 In-Person Skills Day

After completing the online modules, participants will attend a hands-on skills session to practice and refine their lactation support techniques.

Choose one session:

• October 27, 2025 | 1PM – 5PM - Register
• October 28, 2025 | 8AM – 12PM - Register
  📍 Holiday Inn Express, Winston-Salem, NC

Separate registration is required for the in-person skills day.

🎓 Why Enroll?

This training is ideal for:

• Health professionals
• Community educators
• Peer counselors
• Anyone interested in becoming a lactation educator

By the end of the program, you’ll be prepared to offer informed, empathetic breastfeeding support to families in your community.

🔗 Ready to Get Started?

👉 Register for the Online Training - Click Here

The 2025 North Carolina Annual STI Update was held on August 13, 2025, in a fully virtual format for both presenters and attendees—marking the fifth consecutive year of remote delivery. This approach continues to empower Northwest AHEC and its partners to deliver this longstanding, reputable continuing professional development activity to a broader and more diverse audience.

This year’s event was the largest since Northwest AHEC began managing the activity in 2013, with 992 attendees representing a wide range of disciplines including Allied Health, Behavioral Health, Health Careers, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Public Health, and more. Within North Carolina, 98 of 100 counties were represented, and the activity expanded its reach to 12 additional states: Alabama, California, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia.

The program featured expert presenters from respected institutions and organizations such as UNC Chapel Hill, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Mid-Charlotte Dermatology, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, the Fenway Institute, local health departments, and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Medicine.

Participants were eligible for 6.25 hours of continuing education credit, including Contact Hours, CHES/MCHES, ACPE, and AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ through collaboration with UAB’s Office of Continuing Medical Education.

Featured Topics Included:

• Sexual Health Considerations for Aging Populations
  
  The focus on aging populations was seen as timely and essential, with many attendees planning to apply this knowledge in their practices.
  
  
• Taking a Sexual Health History and Introducing Shared Decision Models into Practice
  
  Participants valued the sessions that emphasized patient-centered communication and sexual health history-taking, noting that learning how to ask thoughtful, open-ended questions enhanced their confidence and effectiveness in clinical practice.
  
  
• Genital Dermatology
  
  The dermatology session was praised for its clinical relevance and clarity, especially the use of visuals and case studies.
  
  
• Leveraging Point-of-Care Diagnostics to Address Syndemics
  
  Buncombe County’s mobile unit success, as well as the rapid testing strategies discussed, inspired attendees with practical, real-world applications.
  
  
• Practice Guide to Implementing DoxyPEP
  
  Attendees reported increased confidence in prescribing or advocating for DoxyPEP, citing compelling data on its safety and effectiveness.
  
  
• Updates from NC Local Public Health Providers
  
  The panel session delivered timely updates for North Carolina providers, offering practical guidance on STI/HIV case investigation, the evolving role of NC DIS teams, and strategies for managing complex STI cases. Participants found the content highly relevant to their clinical work and appreciated the clarity and depth of the information presented.

To extend the event’s impact, all sessions were recorded and will be available online as enduring material beginning August 22, 2025, allowing continued access for professionals who could not attend live or wish to revisit the content. The sessions can be found here.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), originally developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat individuals with borderline personality disorder and chronic suicidal ideation, has evolved into a powerful, evidence-based approach for a wide range of mental health challenges. Today, DBT is effectively used to treat conditions such as depression, bulimia, binge-eating disorder, bipolar disorder, PTSD, and substance use disorders in both adolescents and adults.

What APGAR score does your baby need to get into dermatology residency? What does Disney's Frozen soundtrack have to do with skin cream? Are tanning beds more addictive than heroin? What do piano lessons and medication adherence have in common? Is AI more empathetic than doctors? Will patients choose the House, Marcus Welby, or Nurse Jackie avatar? Are robots replacing sex workers?

November 14, 2025 | In-Person Only
Wake Forest University – Benson University Center, Winston-Salem, NC

Registration is NOW OPEN!

Healthcare professionals, mark your calendars! The 27th Annual Diabetes Management Conference returns this fall with a full day of expert-led sessions, practical insights, and the latest in diabetes care. This in-person event is your opportunity to deepen your knowledge, connect with peers, and explore innovative strategies to improve patient outcomes.

🩺 Why Attend?

This conference is designed to equip healthcare providers with best practices in diabetes management, covering both clinical and behavioral aspects of care. Whether you're new to the field or a seasoned expert, you'll find sessions tailored to your professional goals and interests.

In this recent conversation with Andrew Brewer on the Healthcare Insights podcast, Dr. Kevin J. Tracey, neurosurgeon and President of the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, shared groundbreaking insights into the role of the vagus nerve in regulating inflammation.