Well, we made it to December, and what a year this has been! While all of us have experienced unprecedented events this past year, I am sure we have also witnessed a lot of resilience, creativity, and compassion. I am grateful for Gayle Lindsey, PT, MBA, MHSM, CWS®, our immediate Past President, who navigated us through the virtual waters of 2020. With her leadership and the fantastic team at ABWM headquarters, we upheld our high standards for wound care certification. We attended our first virtual wound conferences and found new options to forge ahead with continuing education in the field. We expanded our presence on social media with interactive posts to break up the week. And our Ambassadors continued to let colleagues know about the value of holding the CWCA®, CWS®, or CWSP® certifications.
Perhaps a silver lining in 2020 was more of an opportunity to prepare to certify or recertify. For others still contemplating certification, this may be the ideal time to boost your credentials and proudly showcase your knowledge in the field to your employers as well as your patients.
I am looking forward to the next two years serving as President of the ABWM. I bring over 25 years of experience in clinical wound management and academia and six years working on the Exam Committees. I am fortunate to be supported by a strong Board representing a wide range of health professionals in the field. These are some of the most dedicated, knowledgeable, and coolest people I know. I want to extend a warm welcome to the newest Board members, Robert J. Klein, DPM, FACFAS, CWS®, and Heather Schuster, PA-C, CWS®. Our Board works well together because we share similar values and goals for the field.
We at ABWM are looking ahead toward a productive 2021. Indeed, there will be challenges, overcoming them will make the work that much more meaningful. We will continue to focus on delivering the highest quality certification exams in wound care. We also look forward to refining our website and making it easier for certified or seeking certified wound specialists to find what they need. Our strength is in the diversity of the healthcare professionals certified, all working toward a mutual goal of delivering optimal, informed care to our patients. Together we will persevere and discover new ways to communicate, demonstrate competence, and do what we do best. Please get in touch with us if you or a colleague wants to get more involved with the ABWM. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
On behalf of the ABWM, I wish you a peaceful and healthy holiday season. May you find the strength and the creativity to allow you to grow your passion. Know that we are here to support you on that quest.
“When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven’t.” Thomas A. Edison
Karen Wientjes, PT, DPT, CWS®
