Information for Students

Welcome OT, PT, OTA, and PTA students! We are so excited you are interested in learning more about the ASHT Annual Meeting in September 2024 in St. Louis, MO! 

We love having students participate in our Annual Meeting, and we offer substantially discounted student registration rates. Student registration offers all the same benefits and access as the corresponding non-student registration. Be aware that certain events (such as Pediatric Specialty Day, Pre-Conference Institutes, and St. Lou-a-Palooza) are ticketed and require additional registration for both students and non-students. You can find more information on the registration page. 

Interested in hand therapy but not sure what you’ll gain from participating in the ASHT Annual Meeting? 

  • Attend to learn practical hand and upper extremity content that will jumpstart your clinical career. You can view the program to see the educational content. Instructional Concurrent Sessions marked as “Entry” level content may be of specific interest to you, but students are welcome to attend all sessions regardless of the specified content level. Note that most sessions labeled as “Plenary” do not have an audience level but are intended to be relevant for a wide range of attendees.
  • Attend to network and make connections with potential mentors, future colleagues, and other students with shared interests.
  • Attend to be inspired by thought leaders in the specialty and to be energized by attending the largest gathering of hand and upper extremity specialists.

Interested in attending in person in St. Louis but unable to attend the full meeting? 

You may want to consider a single day registration on either Friday or Saturday. 

If you are registering for Friday and can be there early enough in the morning, try to attend the “Let’s Be New Together” breakfast. If you are close to getting your license, you may want to also attend the Hand Therapy Certification Commission presentation on “Preparing for the CHT Exam” at Friday lunch. If you are registering for Saturday, note that there is a Student Meet-Up planned during lunch. 

Interested in participating but unable to make it to St. Louis because of your schedule or travel expenses? 

Let us bring the meeting to you! Consider a virtual registration, which will allow you to view all the content on demand after the meeting. While this will not allow you to directly gain the networking benefits of in-person attendance, you will still gain a wealth of knowledge and also become familiar with the names of hand therapists across the country who will be your future colleagues.

Will this be your first professional meeting? Some “PRO Pearls”:

  • Conferences are energizing but can also be exhausting, and you may feel like you’re drinking from a fire hose. Especially if you are attending the full meeting, keep in mind that you don't have to attend a session in every slot! Sometimes you need time to absorb information, decompress or connect with others, and that can be a very valid use of conference time!
  • It can be very helpful to pre-plan your schedule via the online conference program and/or the conference app. But leave room for flexibility and spontaneity based on sessions that others you are talking to may be attending, crowded spaces, energy levels, etc.
  • If you are considering attending the ASHT Annual Meeting alone, know that many people at all professional levels—from students to experienced therapists—register for conferences by themselves. If you want to make connections at the meeting, simple questions like asking someone who you’re sitting next to where they work or go to school can be good ice breakers. If you’re not sure about their career phase and are not sure how to phrase an introductory question, you can ask something like, “Where did you travel in from for the meeting?” Another simple question that can start a conversation is “How many ASHT meetings have you attended before?”
  • If you are attending alone and are not sure what you will do during lunch and other breaks, the Exhibit Hall can be a great way to pass time independently, learn some new things and make some connections to hand therapists over shared interests at a vendor’s booth. There are also presentations during lunch that you can attend if you prefer a more structured way to pass time. 
  • While there is no formal dress code, business casual is suggested. It can be helpful to dress in layers since the temperatures in conference spaces can fluctuate from very cold to very hot.

While you’re here, make sure to check out the ASHT Student Center to learn more about other opportunities to get access to hand therapy content and get involved with the hand therapy community.

Do you have other questions that are not answered here? You can email meetings@asht.org.