On May 10, the ACC Rhode Island Chapter hosted its second annual cardiovascular team conference entitled, "Advanced Cardiology for the Cardiovascular Team." The program was jointly provided with the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and scheduled to coincide with Nurses Appreciation Week. For the second consecutive year, this conference was sold out.

The conference kicked off with an inspiring talk given by Athena Poppas, MD, FACC, chief of cardiology at the Lifespan Cardiovascular Institute and vice president of the ACC. She spoke about team-based care and the ACC.

During her talk, Poppas identified the 2019 – 2020 CV Team Section projects, including:

• The development of cardiology nurse practitioner and physician assistant clinical competencies
• CV Team educational projects
• Launch of the structural heart disease team work group
• Fellowship pathway for CV Team clinicians
• Development of a CV Team speakers list
• Creation of a cardiovascular advanced practice nurses practice survey
• CV Team state-based advocacy
• Expansion of the associate of the ACC to cardiovascular quality professionals
• Mentoring for early career CV Team members, and
• Planning for ACC.20/World Congress of Cardiology in Chicago, IL

In reviewing these projects, it was clear to the audience that the ACC offers many exciting opportunities for professional growth and development specific to cardiovascular team members.

The educational sessions were formatted into three panels of speakers. Each speaker gave a 25-minute talk followed by 15 minutes at the end of each section for questions and additional discussion.

Topics for discussion included:

• Structural heart procedures
• Interventional therapies for pulmonary embolism
• Cardiac device case-based management; arrhythmia diagnosis and management
• Clinical pearls and updates in cardiovascular pharmacology
• Cardiovascular technology
• Advanced heart failure guidelines and case-based management, and
• Cardiac rehab benefits and utilization

Two breaks were incorporated into the schedule and one hands-on session of a left atrial occlusion device.

What made the conference so exciting was the variety of topics and speakers. Six of the nine speakers were ACC CV Team members, and we were fortunate to have two special guest speakers with Poppas and Snehal H. Bhatt, PharmD, AACC, the regional CV Team liaison for the Northeast.

The conference ended with closing remarks from myself (the former ACC Rhode Island Chapter state liaison) and Ashley C. Arnold, MSN, the new ACC Rhode Island Chapter state liaison.

During closing remarks, I shared my experience of becoming an associate of the ACC and the prestigious ceremony I participated in while at ACC.19 in New Orleans, LA. I remarked about how moved I was to recognize the "globalness" of the ACC and how proud I was to be part of a great community that shared the goal to improve cardiovascular health nationally and internationally.

It was truly awe-inspiring!

Arnold spoke the final words to the audience, challenging them to increase the number of new members and associates of the college for our local chapter. We received tremendous positive feedback and many inquiries regarding active involvement with the chapter. The success of this conference planted the seeds for future growth of the chapter.

One final note of thanks to David M. Donaldson, MD, FACC, the former governor of the ACC Rhode Island Chapter. Donaldson's commitment to inclusivity, professional development and his unwavering dedication to the ACC CV Team has established a legacy for a stronger, more diverse cardiovascular team, as well as a collaborative community within the state of Rhode Island.

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