Braceland Registration FAQs

HOW DO I REGISTER?

Registration for the Braceland Seminar is simple. All you have to do is send me an email to say you plan to attend and I will reserve a place for you. I will reply with a message about payment options. Once I receive your payment, your registration is complete.

DO I HAVE TO PAY IN ADVANCE?

Yes. The deadline for payment is 23 April 2012. I encourage you to register and save yourself a place, then send your payment by 23 April 2012.

WHAT DOES IT COST?

The Braceland Seminar costs $130. Last year we got a great bargain at the military hotel in Honolulu, but two years ago in New Orleans the cost was $155. This year's cost of $130 represents careful shopping on my part. I contacted six hotels before selecting the one I believe represents high quality along with substantial value.

CAN MY SPOUSE OR PARTNER ATTEND THE BRACELAND?

Absolutely. Why not bring your spouse or partner to the Braceland? Think the entire day might be boring? Then have your spouse or partner join us for lunch. The lunch-only fee is $45.

CAN I PAY WITH A CREDIT CARD?

Yes, I accept credit card payments through PayPal. PayPal credit card payments, however, incur an extra fee of $4.07 for a payment of $130, and $5.38 for a payment of $175. PayPal also allows you to send a payment by directly debiting your bank account with no extra fee. →Please do send a PayPal payment without contacting me first.←

WILL MY TRAVEL OFFICE PAY YOU IN ADVANCE?

No, your travel office will not send me a payment in advance because I am an individual. You have to pay me personally in advance, then get reimbursed on your travel claim. I will send out receipts by email after the seminar.

WHAT ABOUT REFUNDS?

Your advance payment is fully refundable until 27 April 2012. After 27 April 2012 I am contractually obligated to pay the hotel for a certain number of people, so there will be no refunds after that date.

WILL I GET CME CREDITS?

No, the APA does not allow CME credits for meetings held in conjunction with their Annual Meeting. They have a no-compete clause.

WHO CAN ATTEND THE BRACELAND SEMINAR?

Anyone who remits the conference fee can attend the Braceland Seminar. The Braceland Seminar is not a closed conference for active duty Navy psychiatrists. I encourage departments with civilian psychiatrists to pass this information along to them. If you are funding a civilian psychiatrist to attend the APA, please inform them of the Braceland. We need our civilian counterparts to join us at the Braceland and gain the knowledge we receive. Other federal mental health practitioners, other military service psychiatrists and psychologists, retired psychiatrists, spouses, significant others - all are welcome.

WHY SHOULD I ATTEND?

Because it's the Braceland. It's the Navy Psychiatry Community's great tradition. It's fun. It's Philadelphia. It only happens once a year. You'll see your friends and meet new people. It's a chance to network. It's great food. I've been doing this for several years, and if you haven't been to one of my Braceland Seminars, ask around. I put on a great conference. Don't balk at the cost of the conference. You'll be on funded orders. You can't get a day-long medical conference for $130 anywhere else.

IS THE CONFERENCE FEE REIMBURSABLE IF I AM ON FUNDED ORDERS?

Yes, the conference fee, minus the cost of meals, is reimbursable if you are on funded orders. Joint Travel Regulations say that because you are receiving money for meals while on funded orders, you cannot be reimbursed for the cost of meals served in conjunction with a meeting when the cost of the meeting includes meals. The cost of meals for the Braceland Seminar this year is determined to be $30. This means that all but $30 is reimbursable to you while on funded orders. And for $30, we are going to eat our way through the conference. You should be stuffed when you leave. But if you are still hungry, you will have $36 left over for dinner, because the daily food per diem in Philadelphia is $66. So come to the Braceland, eat all day, skip dinner and put $36 in your pocket.

CAN I CRASH THE BRACELAND?

No. You have to tell me that you are coming, and you have to pay in advance. I do not accept cash.