Why Napa Matters to Me

Why Napa Matters to Me

By Terri Schmitt, PhD, APRN, FNP-BC, FAANP, Executive Director

Years ago, after some major life changes, I decided I needed solo travel and embarked on a trip to Sonoma, California. At the time, I thought I was simply taking a vacation. Looking back, I realize I was beginning the journey of rediscovering who I was. Every morning of that trip I hiked either through ocean cliff paths or redwood forests and every afternoon I explored… shops, wineries, unique restaurants. Somewhere along those winding roads and towering redwoods, I remembered that life is meant to be lived, not just managed from one task or day to the next.

This is why the NPACE Napa event, Pour Into Practice, matters deeply to me. Not because of wine, luxury, or uniqueness to any conference location offered by us or others. But because Napa helps remind me (and I hope all of us) there is still a world beyond our inboxes, EMRs, productivity reports, patient schedules, and never-ending to-do lists.

There is something happening in healthcare right now that I think many of us feel but don't always talk about. We're tired and not because we don't love our patients or what we do. But because healthcare has become increasingly complex, demanding, and relentless. Between staffing shortages, documentation burdens, productivity expectations, and the emotional weight of caring for others, many clinicians have spent years pouring from a cup that rarely gets refilled.

That's one of the reasons I wanted NPACE to come to Napa.

Not because it's beautiful, although it certainly is, and not because of the vineyards, the food, the hiking trails, or the breathtaking scenery, but. I wanted APPs to have a place to step outside of normal, to grow professionally in a place they look forward to being, to having a bit of life to live outside of work.

At NPACE, we firmly and unequivocally believe continuing medical education should be more than checking a box. It should challenge, inspire, and perhaps most importantly, it should remind you that your own well-being matters too.

Pour Into Practice: Mental Health & Women's Health in Napa, is incredibly special. Not only is NPACE bringing nationally recognized experts together for three days of exceptional clinical education, but we're doing it at the iconic Silverado Resort, a destination unlike anything we've ever done before. Guests can enjoy hiking and biking opportunities, pickleball, golf, fitness activities, spa services, incredible dining, and easy access to everything Napa Valley has to offer.

The educational content is equally inspiring! NPACE’s Women's Health program tackles topics that every primary care clinician encounters including postpartum depression, contraception updates, sexually transmitted infections, vaginitis, and more. The Mental Health track addresses some of the most challenging issues facing clinicians today, including veteran health, domestic violence, bipolar disorder, treatment-resistant depression, and practical strategies for integrating mental health into everyday practice.

And because one conference simply wasn't enough, every attendee who registers for Napa will also receive complimentary access to our September virtual pediatric conference.

As an FNP, I know firsthand that frequently family practice, urgent care, and emergency clinicians become anxious about pediatric patients. Practical knowledge on current topics can help limit anxiety. That's why NPACE’s pediatric program focuses on important topics like vaccine updates, autism spectrum disorders, eating disorders, pediatric rashes, screen time and digital health, adolescent care, and other practical, evidence-based topics that can improve confidence and patient outcomes. Do not fear the young ones!

Three high-impact educational tracks with one registration. No membership required. One unforgettable destination. No recycled conference experience, only exceptional education designed for real-world clinicians.

My hope is that you come for the education, but I also hope you stay for the experience. Take an extra day before or after and explore. Come watch the sunrise, talk to people you’ve never met, try something new, and just be present. Because healthcare needs knowledgeable clinicians, but even more it also needs healthy, inspired, fully alive people! More than anything else in my leadership at NPACE, this is what NPACE is about.

Join us November 2–4 for Pour Into Practice: Mental Health & Women's Health in Napa at the beautiful Silverado Resort. Plus, receive complimentary registration to our September Pediatric Virtual Conference, giving you access to three of the most important clinical content areas in healthcare today. Learn more and register at NPACE Napa Conference Registration and explore the experience awaiting you at Silverado Resort & Spa.

"Come for the education. Stay for the experience. Leave renewed."

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