12 Reasons to Come to WCICON25

By Dr. Jim Dahle, WCI Founder

The Physician Wellness and Financial Literacy Conference for 2025 (WCICON25) is just around the corner. And these days, with physician burnout rates continuing to skyrocket and with so many ricocheting questions about the future of the US economy and what doctors should do about it (if anything), this conference is more relevant than ever. Many of us need to stop, regroup, continue to learn, reflect on our futures, reenergize our bodies and our minds, and lean on each other for support. Luckily, you can accomplish every single one of those tasks at WCICON25.

It's not all about finance either. It's about burnout prevention. We believe that financially stable physicians are less burned out and can have longer, more meaningful careers while providing better care to their patients. That's why WCICON25 is equal parts finance content and wellness content.

WCICON25 will take place Wednesday, February 26 through Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Hill Country Resort and Spa in the Hill Country outside San Antonio, Texas. Early bird registration opens today, offering $300 off the regular price. Assuming we don't sell out (hey, it's happened before), the early bird price will be available through September 10, when the price will go up.

As usual, it's going to be awesome. There's a reason that 99%+ of prior attendees have recommended it to their colleagues, and to prove that point, we sold 150 tickets immediately after WCICON24 was complete. Even if you're not 100% sure you want to come yet, you can still reserve your spot today.

I love meeting you personally and hearing your stories, triumphs, and challenges. It recharges me for the next year and drives our content production here at WCI. We try to make blog posts, newsletters, courses, and podcasts that will help you with what you're currently dealing with. But if that's not enough, here are 12 more fantastic reasons to come to WCICON25.

 

#1 Meet Your People

If you're like most WCIers, there is nobody in your personal life with whom you can discuss your financial challenges. Money tends to be a taboo subject in our schools, residencies, and medical centers. Most of our family and friends make a lot less than we do, and if you even mention your challenges, you're likely to be met with somebody playing the world's tiniest violin.

That's not the case at WCICON. Everybody is a high earner, or they soon will be. Money is not a taboo subject here. While there are people who are just starting out, who have recently suffered a major setback, or who have recently had a financial awakening, there are plenty of hardcore DIYers, lots of financially independent folks (some of whom have FIRE'd and some of whom have not), and a surprisingly high number of savvy financial experts. There will be plenty of time for networking and socializing. Lots of people are a little afraid to come alone, but they shouldn't be. With all the wellness activities and dinner group signups, you'll make friends you'll be excited to see at a future WCICON. You will also have the opportunity to meet people that you have only known online. It turns out we're all real, live people after all. Better yet, we're your people. No matter your gender, race, profession, specialty, or hometown, you're not going to feel alone at WCICON.

As one former attendee wrote, “WCICON gives me access to a community of like-minded people. You get to know people better in a conference form, even virtually. These people inspire me to save and spend better and to live more intentionally in my day-to-day life.”

 

#2 Burnout Insurance

When we first started WCICON back in 2018, I wanted to make sure it qualified for some CME (and dental CE) so that people could use their CME funds to pay for it. Instead of just calling it the Physician Financial Literacy Conference, we called it the Physician Wellness and Financial Literacy Conference. Little did I know that the burnout epidemic was about to rear its ugly head. Over the years, the wellness content has become even more popular than the financial content, and at WCICON25, it will make up about half of the conference.

You could still probably attend the conference and never go to a wellness event, but I don't think very many people are doing that. In fact, many people tell me that they now come specifically FOR the wellness content. You can buy insurance against liability, death, and disability, but there is no burnout insurance available. This conference is the closest thing to that. You'll go home inspired to love what you do and with practical, real-life techniques that will help you to do it for as long as you wish. Here's a sampling of some of our wellness content that will be presented:

• What The Dying Can Teach Us About Money and Life
• The Power of Thought: Harnessing Concepts from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to Enhance Physician Well-Being
• Bloom Where You're Planted: 5 Strategies for Becoming a Flourishing Leader
• Boundaries 2.0: Being Well Despite Encountering Problematic Personalities
• Tipping the Scales of Wellness: Lessons Learned in Caring for Aging Loved Ones
• Happily Ever After: Creating Marital Bliss Without Adding on More Date Nights, Gifts, or Getaways
• Feedback: Boon or Bane?

 

#3 Fine-Tune Your Financial Plan

WCICON is still a financial conference, though. You'll learn about investing, insurance, paying for college, funding retirement, savings, taxes, real estate, estate planning, asset protection, and more. Check out some of the financial content that will be presented:

• Lessons Learned from Early Financial Independence
• Navigating Disability as a Medical Practitioner
• 5 Behaviors That Sabotage Your Retirement
• Defending the Castle: A Practical Guide to Asset Protection Planning
• Implementing a Three Fund Portfolio in Real Life
• Raising Financially Savvy Kids: Empowering the Next Generation
• How to Leverage AI as a Physician to Save Time

Here's where you can meet all of our speakers (whether they'll be presenting on finance or wellness), and feel free to browse the WCICON25 agenda.

 

#4 Multi-Specialty Conference

One of the coolest parts of WCICON is that it is a multi-profession, multi-specialty conference. Most of us have been going to professional conferences our entire careers that are single-specialty conferences. At WCICON, you might have an ENT on one side of you, an OB/GYN on the other side, and a dentist behind you. It's really cool to learn from others and apply their unique experiences to your own life.

 

#5 Make the Pilgrimage!

For many people, coming to WCICON is a bit of a pilgrimage. It's like a once-in-a-lifetime Hajj to Mecca. And while The White Coat Investor is far from a religion, people just want to come by, meet the community and staff in person, and say thanks for all the life-changing information they've learned. We love it! I do multiple book signings, and every year I think I meet just about every single person there at some point during the four-day event.

We try to move the event around from year to year to make it convenient for people in all areas of the country. We've been out West (Utah, Nevada, Arizona), and we've been East (Florida). This year we're going to try the middle of the country. I know there are a lot of WCIers in Texas and the Midwest. WCICON is a winter event where people want to get outside and out of the cold. We're never going to have it in Minnesota, Wisconsin, or Michigan. This might be as close to your home as we ever get. Plus, I've got a sweet new cowboy hat to wear this year. Bring yours with you as well!

 

#6 Speak!

While it is too late to apply to speak at WCICON25, plenty of WCIers have spoken at the conference over the years. It makes for awesome and constantly changing content. It is never the same conference. Even I prepare two completely new talks for every WCICON. While popular speakers return to the conference every two or three years, we have new speakers every year. Although competitive, the speaker experience is phenomenal, so come as an attendee this year and apply to speak next year! Docs, CPAs, attorneys, advisors, and more are all welcome to apply. Speakers this year include folks such as:

• Jordan Grumet
• Sarah Catherine Gutierrez
• Tyler Scott
• Tyler Olson
• Elizabeth Chiang
• Erin Garvey
• Leif Dahleen
• and dozens more!

As usual, it's an all-star cast!

 

#7 Get CME

Did I mention the conference is approved for AMA PRA Category I CME credit and Dental CE? That means you can use your dedicated CME funds to come. If you're self-employed, the entire cost of coming is deductible. That's close to half-price for many of you, especially when combined with the early bird discount. There's also the option of buying the registration in 2024, using this year's CME money for the WCICON25 conference, and then saving your 2025 CME money for something else.

 

#8 Have Fun!

Did I mention this is a wellness conference? It runs from Wednesday to Saturday, but the “meat” is from Thursday to Saturday. That allows you to fly out Wednesday (during the day or even after work), maybe catch the Welcome Reception on Wednesday night, and be ready to go by Thursday morning. Every day we knock off classes by late afternoon to give you time to enjoy the pre-organized “wellness activities” ranging from yoga to pickleball to wine tasting. Then, there are dinner groups to sign up for.

All of this, including the classes during the day, are completely optional. We want you to go home less burned out than you came. All the content goes home with you in the form of an online course you can listen to on your commute later if you want. You can spend as much or as little time in the classroom as you want. You can even watch the presentations while lounging at the pool. I'm not sure anybody ever has, but you could come to WCICON and spend the entire time golfing and relaxing and STILL not miss anything. The conference ends on Saturday, so you're not rushing back right after it to your workday on Monday. You can stay over Saturday night at this luxurious resort hotel and have a leisurely trip back home on Sunday.

While this retreat to the Texas Hill Country feels a world away from your normal life, it's also conveniently located only 25 minutes from San Antonio’s downtown Riverwalk.

The food is fantastic. The accommodations are superb. The people are wonderful. Every year, I try to describe this conference for those who have never been, but I can never do it justice. You just have to experience it.

 

#9 Enjoy a Premium Experience

The regular experience is pretty awesome. But if you want even more, you should consider signing up for the premium experience. Not only is there premium swag and reserved seating, but you will also get to join the Thursday night premium reception and dinner with a limited number of other premium guests, faculty, and the WCI staff. This is always one of my favorite events because it gives us hours to meet each other, talk about your financial journey, and make connections that last. This premium experience turns this one up to 11.

 

#10 Get on the Same Page with Your Spouse

Over the years, I've noticed more and more WCIers using the conference to build a stronger relationship with their spouse. This year, we offer a reduced price partner ticket where your partner can come to everything. They'll get meals, wellness events, and all the content. This is a great opportunity to have important discussions with your spouse and to build a plan for financial freedom and happiness that will last the rest of your life.

As one former attendee wrote, “After attending WCICON, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated in promoting health in both my personal and financial life. I got to connect with my husband about things that are important to us, learn more, play a lot of pickleball, and enjoy a nerdy vacation together.”

 

#11 Great Swag Bag

Here at WCICON, we pride ourselves on our swag bag. I've been to plenty of conferences where I didn't even pick up the swag bag or where the entire thing went in the hotel room trash. That's not going to happen here. There's real value in that swag bag, including high-quality financial books that will boost your financial literacy and inspire you to reach success.

 

#12 Best Conference Ever

There's no doubt this is my favorite conference all year, but I'm pretty biased. However, we've heard from so many guests and sponsors over the years that it is the most organized conference they have ever attended. It's so good that sometimes people even try to sneak into it! (Yes, we'll catch you; just buy a ticket.) This isn't our first rodeo (it's our seventh). We start planning these things three years out. Prior attendees have assisted us in really dialing this thing in. It is well-run, organized, and just a pleasure to be part of for all involved.

Don't believe me? I'll leave you with this testimonial from a person who attended a previous WCICON: “This conference has changed my life . . . After only a few years of practice, I felt overwhelmed with which steps I should take in creating my financial plan and this conference has provided me with the resources and confidence to move forward and take action.”

 

Isn't it time you came to WCICON? If you've been there before, it's time to come back. There are new talks, new sponsors, and new activities every year.

 

Sign Up Today at wcievents.com!

 

Any questions? Ask below!