Welcome back from Chicago! We had a wonderful time eating delicious food, visiting skydecks of super tall buildings, and taking an afternoon trip to the incredible Shedd Aquarium. On-site staff were both complimented on their "beautiful carotid artery" by the participants in our Emergency Procedures course, who were practicing techniques for ultrasound-guided central line placement, but both staff members bowed out before become an actual guinea pig for the intense hands-on course.

103 stories above Chicago

We had a little over 100 attendees for the six courses held over four days and stayed at the ideally-located Avenue Hotel for our 6th years in a row. MedQuest Solutions, SonoSite, and Verathon lent support for the courses, including loaning us a GlideScope and an ultrasound machine for the Emergency Procedures course. Thanks, everyone, and see you next month in Las Vegas!

Sad you missed out? We'll be back next August. And when you get there, we enthusiastically recommend taking a trip out to Logan Square for a meal at Lula Cafe. Have time for two meals and money to burn? Go to Chicago Q and get that $305 pork shoulder!

It's almost time for our Chicago conference! In this post, you’ll find a list of suggestions for things to do and places to eat while we’re there.

Places to see:

Navy Pier - There are fireworks here every Saturday night, but don't let the lack of fireworks keep you from stopping by any other night for a ride on the ferris wheel. Look hard enough in the dark back corners of the pier and you may even find a magic Zoltar machine.

Millenium Park - Millenium Park has it all, including "The Bean," pictured above. The park is home to a garden sanctuary, countless music performances, a world music festival, and much more. If you have the time, take a stroll with a park greeter for a free 45 minute tour of the area.

Things to do:

Lookingglass Theatre - The Tony award-winning theatre is putting on a production of The Great Fire, a drama based on the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, starting September 21 and running through well after our conference is over. Reviewers have gone so far as to describe the theatre as "restores my hope in the survival of live theater," which promises quite an experience.

Willis Tower - I've been told I can't call it the Sears Tower anymore, but you can't break 20 years of training otherwise. Take a ride to the top for the view of a lifetime! That glass overlook seems mighty scary, but if you bring a picture of you on it to the registration desk, you'll get a congratulatory high five from both of us.

Food to eat and drinks to drink:

Gino's East - Let's be real. We're all going to have at least one deep dish pie while we're here, and every single person you ask on the street is going to recommend somewhere different. I'm just making it easier on you by letting you know that Gino's is the highest rated pizza joint within three blocks of the hotel!

Portillo's Hot Dogs - You're here for at least two nights, which gives you another night to chow down on Chicago's finest. I won't say Portillo's is the best, but I will say that there are nearly 900 people on Yelp who gave it at least four out of five stars. And I challenge you to find another hot dog shop who also serves a chocolate cake milkshake!

The Capital Grille Restaurant - You had me at "wagyu beef carpaccio," but you sold me at "5000 bottles of wine on the wall." There are no prices listed on the website, so when the check comes, don't say I didn't warn you.

The number one non-surgical cosmetic procedure performed throughout the United States is the BOTOX® injection. Patients are clamoring for the procedure, but it's important they're informed of the risks, benefits, and complications. In addition to patient education handouts, a DVD helps document that the patient was properly informed and answers many of their questions. Above all else, it saves clinician and staff time!

For this month only, we're pairing two of our BOTOX® best sellers at a discounted price so you can save money along with your saved time. Buy Learning to Work with BOTOX®: A Guide for Clinicians together with Introduction to BOTOX® For the Patient for a total price of only $299.95! That is a savings of $100 versus buying the DVDs separately! To take advantage of this amazing deal, click here for the BOTOX® - DVD Set.

The DVD of the Month for September is What Patients Need to Know About Vasectomy. Vasectomy is the preferred method of permanent sterilization when a couple has decided to limit their future childbearing and it is important that they make an informed decision for this elective procedure. This DVD reviews, in layman's terms, who should have a vasectomy, the basic technique, preparation, complications, and after care. It saves a tremendous amount of physician time and not only assures that all the information has been conveyed, but also provides excellent medicolegal documentation that the patient had true informed consent. It allows the clinician to focus on pertinent questions rather than repeating the same story repeatedly. What Patients Need to Know About Vasectomyis on sale this September for $71.95, a 10-percent discount!

If you're interested in learning more about office sterilization but can't get the time off to attend a course, consider our No-Scalpel Vasectomy Model and the Learning No-Scalpel Vasectomy: A Guide for Clinicians DVD.

>>These DVD specials are only available for the month of September, so get yours today and don't miss out!

Welcome back from DC! We were able to survive an earthquake and a hurricane while we were there, even though a few classes had to make do for half a day without power after Irene rolled through. I never thought I'd get to see a suture class working by the light of a camping lantern from the hotel, but they were troopers and gave it their all until PEPCO turned our lights back on. Once again, on-site staff got to be the test subject for some of the procedures, and I myself got a skin tag frozen off by Dr. McNabb and left the conference with a video of my TNE procedure done by Dr. Harper. If that's not a nice perk, I don't know what is! Here is the video of my Transnasal Esophagoscopy, for those interested.

We had 79 attendees over the five days of courses and stayed at the beautiful Bethesda Marriott. 3Gen, Bovie Medical, Brymill, ConMed, CryoSurgery, Ellman, Gebauer, Huot Instruments, Integra Miltex, Olympus, Premier Medical, Sonosite, and Vision Sciences all stopped by to lend support in the form of colonoscopes, colonoscopy tools, multiple forms of cryosurgery, and much more. Thanks, everyone! 

Our next conference in Washington DC is just around the corner! In a city known for its food, its history, and its culture, we're here to help you make the most of your trip with us!

Places to See:

National Mall - What isn't there to see on or around the mall? They won't be in bloom in August, but a stop by the cherry trees is a must to cool down underneath them and take in the sights.

C&O Canal - I've ridden my bike up and down the C&O Canal a hundred times, but the beauty and peacefulness of the pathway are still unmatched. The canal starts right in the heart of Georgetown, but you feel million miles away from the city. Even if you just walk or bike a few blocks of it, try to time your trip with one of the historic boat rides offered near Thomas Jefferson St. for an unforgettable experience.

Things to Do:

All 19 Smithsonian Museums - Take it from someone who has been to every single museum in DC (including the now-closed Bead Museum), you can't top a Smithsonian when it comes to comprehensive knowledge of a topic and prime access to the most incredible of artifacts. It took me half a year to see them all from top to bottom, but there's still plenty to see in an hour or two of your free time.

National Zoo - There are a lot of great zoos in the US, but the National Zoo is right up at the top of the list for great zoos to spend a day in. Golden Lion Tamarins swing free above your heads while you watch in awe as the toddler gorilla explores her surroundings. 

Canoe the Potomac - It might be too hot to function in the rest of the city, but there's almost always a nice breeze over the river. It's also a unique way to see the city and from an angle many don't get to experience. Watch out for the Georgetown Crew team though!

Food to Eat and Drinks to Drink:

These suggestions are all courtesy of @CESaute on Twitter, but just a quick glance at the menus proves this man knows his DC restaurants.

Palena - French and Italian cuisine with a focus on fresh, in-season ingredients.

Coppi's - Organic pizza?! Handmade pasta made daily?! Sign me up!!

Courduroy - A modern, cozy restaurant offering a delightful array of seafood and non-seafood alike, with a cheese tray that impressed this self-described cheese snob and a wine list so extensive I got lost in it.

Restaurant Eve - A reimagined warehouse is home to two separate dining experiences from the same brilliant minds. "The Tasting Room" offers a prix fixe menu, while "Bistro" cooks up a more rustic fare.

Oohhs & Aahhs - You can't come to DC without getting a little soul food. Load up on your favorite comfort foods and leave with a smile on your face.

Welcome back from San Francisco! What a beautiful town, right? I know I still can't get over that weather and already miss it being so cool during the day! We had a great time at the Marriott Union Square, with 112 attendees at our nine courses. We also kicked off a new round of Allergy Testing and Immunotherapy with the newest NPI faculty member, Dr. Gruhkley of New Braunfels, TX, and had great reviews. I even got a complimentary allergy test from one of the attendees! 3Gen, Antigen Labs, Bovie Medical, Brymill, ConMed, CryoSurgery, Ellman, Gebauer, Huot, Integra Miltex, Sonosite, and Verathon were on hand to lend support, including the use of equipment like allergy testing supplies and Dermatologic Procedures machines for radiofrequency surgery and cryosurgery.

The San Francisco conference was staffed by Lindsay Pumford and Alicia Jones, both of whom are avid Alcatraz enthusiasts and were able to squeeze in a night tour of the infamous prison, augmented by a private tour of the dungeon!

You have just one more week to order July's DVD of the Month, How to Perform Skin Biopsies, at a discounted rate. Don't miss out!

Katie Couric's colonoscopy, 2000

A recent article from Shots, NPR’s health blog, stated that “two out of every three Americans between 50 and 75 are up-to-date with colon cancer screening guidelines.” CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden attributes much of the increase to “the Katie Couric effect” after the newswoman had her own colonoscopy on air. After finding four polyps in his last colonoscopy, he’s hoping for a “Frieden effect” as well.

The CDC says screening prevented 16,000 deaths from colorectal cancer between 2003 and 2007. Screening is responsible for half the decline in colorectal cancer deaths, with the rest due to reduction in risk factors such as smoking and obesity and improved treatment.

Yet for all that, Frieden says 22 million Americans are not getting screened who should.

[…] But Frieden says the "largest single risk factor for not being screened for colorectal cancer is someone's doctor not recommending that they be screened."

Adding the colonoscopy procedure to your practice’s repertoire can be intimidating, but doing so is crucial to your patients’ health. Luckily, NPI is here to help with your training. Between our Colonoscopy course and our Advanced Colonoscopy course, you’ll be ready in no time to navigate a colonoscope through even the trickiest of colons. Doing so yourself saves your patient from potential fear of the up-close-and-personal procedure being done by a stranger, while keeping more of your patient care in-house.

Any certification required by your state to perform this procedure needs to be handled with your state board. NPI does not do any certification, but will provide you with a CME certificate for your completed hours at the conclusion of the course.