Professional Development

SOA Names Five New Board Members, Sherry Chan as President Elect

Chicago – September 28, 2026 -- The Society of Actuaries (SOA) has elected five new Board members and named Sherry Chan, FSA, EA, MAAA, FCA, as President Elect and Vice Chair for the 2026-2027 term, positioning her to become the organization's 79th President and Chair.

Five actuaries join the SOA Board for the 2026-2027 term

The newly elected Board members are Jessica Dang, FSA, FCIA, Ph.D.; Murshid Kuttihassan, FSA, MAAA, CERA, FCIA, FIA, CFA, FRM; Taylor Pickett, FSA, MAAA; Greg Warren, FSA, MAAA, FCA; and Andy Wieduwilt, FSA, MAAA. All will assume duties following the SOA ImpACT Annual Conference at the end of October 2026.

WesternU Hosts Second A.P. Howells Lectureship, Launches New Honors

Lebanon, Ore. – September 22, 2026 -- Western University of Health Sciences Heatherington College of Osteopathic Medicine (WesternU HCOM) hosted its second annual A.P. Howells, DO, Endowed Lectureship on Aug. 29-30, 2026, training physicians in the Fascial Distortion Model (FDM) for musculoskeletal treatment.

Todd Capistrant, DO, led hands-on FDM training combining online modules with supervised clinical practice

Capistrant, a Medical Director at Foundation Health Partners since 2013 and a board-certified family medicine physician, taught participants to identify fascial distortion patterns and apply introductory osteopathic manipulative treatment techniques. He emphasized that patient activity levels remain a stronger predictor of long-term health outcomes than pharmaceutical interventions for reducing heart disease, stroke, dementia and cancer risk.

Munich Pharmacy Roadshow Draws 3,000 Ahead of German Apothekertag

Munich – September 15, 2026 -- Up to 3,000 registered pharmacists, pharmacy technicians (PTA) and pharmacy clerks (PKA) are set to attend the APOTHEKENTOUR in Munich on September 12-13, the event's second stop after Berlin drew more than 2,500 attendees and a 15% year-on-year increase in visitors.

Munich stop packs 170 talks and pharma-partner cases into one weekend

The Munich edition, powered by APOTHEKE ADHOC and PTA IN LOVE, will feature more than 170 lectures, several live talks and new product showcases connecting attendees directly with pharmaceutical industry partners. The event is scheduled deliberately the weekend before the Deutscher Apothekertag, where Health Minister Carsten Linnemann (CDU) is expected to address the sector's political future.

95 Percent Group Launches Toolkit to Close Reading Instruction Gap

Lincolnshire, Ill. – September 15, 2026 -- 95 Percent Group has launched 95 Principles to PracticeTM—Literacy, a facilitator toolkit aimed at closing the gap between science of reading training and actual classroom instruction in K-3 schools.

82% of K-3 teachers report science of reading training, but only 52% say instruction reflects it

The disparity, cited from a Fordham Institute report, illustrates what the company calls the "knowing-doing gap" in literacy education. Research reported by the International Dyslexia Association found that without dedicated implementation teams, it takes 17 years on average to embed roughly half of a new initiative into routine classroom practice.

ABMS Convenes 400+ Healthcare Leaders at Sept. 16-18 Certification Conference

Chicago – September 15, 2026 -- The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) will gather more than 400 healthcare professionals at the Loews O'Hare Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois, from September 16-18 for its annual conference on physician board certification.

Conference agenda spans 40 breakout sessions and AI-focused workforce debates

The three-day program includes two plenary sessions, 40 breakout sessions, one Sponsor Spotlight, four Exhibitor Showcases, and a 40-poster session. Core topics cover artificial intelligence in medicine, professionalism standards, innovation assessment methods, competency-based medical education, and structural shifts in the US physician workforce.

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