Virtual Summit bridges gap between in-person ISS conferences 

PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences will host its second International Seating Symposium Virtual Professional Summit (ISS:VPS) on Jan. 28 and Feb. 25. The goal: Keep seating and mobility clinicians and suppliers up to speed during an off-year for its annual in-person event. 

Two days of education – under budget and on schedule 

Over the course of the two days, ISS:VPS will offer seven presentations for continuing education units (CEUs), as well as shorter “Spotlight” sessions from sponsors like Permobil, Quantum Rehab and Sunrise Medical for contact hours. 

“We’ve been hearing from ISS attendees that there is a gap in education but maybe there isn’t a need for a full conference every year,” said Rachel Hibbs, director of continuing education for the school and co-director of ISS. 

 ISS:VPS, Hibbs says, offers benefits from a cost perspective (registration is only $349) and a flexibility perspective (recordings allow attendees, especially those who are international, to tune in when it’s convenient). 

Broad range of topics 

ISS tried to incorporate a broad range of topics and diverse perspectives into the presentations, Hibbs says. Topics include learning from wheelchair users, training personal care assistants and leveraging innovations for accessible transportation – many of them in a panel format. 

“We only have seven sessions, where ISS has more than 120, but we tried to pick topics that hit the large content areas for ISS,” she said. 

Conference pile up 

Amid planning for ISS:VPS, the Abilities Expo announced plans to launch the Abilities International Accessibility Conference, a new in-person event for complex rehab technology professionals across disciplines, in three cities in 2026. ISS, as well as numerous other industry organizations, are offering education at the conference and Hibbs says there’s room for everyone. 

“We do feel (ISS and ISS:VPS) are distinctly different,” she said. “The content we’re providing at the (Abilities International Accessibility Conference) is more back to basics, with some intermediate, and geared more toward new clinicians. The audience for our Virtual Summit is more similar to ISS – you're going to have more international and advanced attendees and you’re going to have a broader spectrum of topics.” 

Looking ahead to 2027 

When it opened registration for ISS:VPS in November, ISS also announced the dates for its next in-person ISS: March 31-April 2, 2027. 

“When we announced the virtual event, we didn’t want people to interpret that as the in-person event going way,” said Karl Kemmerer, continuing education manager for the school. “We’re continuing to host the event on odd-numbered years.”