Please send items of interest for the E-News -- and any other feedback -- to E-News editor Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH. Thanks!

CONTENTS:

1) Interim Meeting in Boston 2006-11-05
2) New AAPHP President Alfio Rausa, MD, MPH
3) AAPHP Officers and Trustees 2006-2007
4) AAPHP Member Ron Davis will be next AMA President
5) AMA Resolutions Submitted for November meeting
6) June 2006 AMA Resolutions Advance
7) Dr. Goyal's Letter to AAPHP Members
8) Call for Science-Based Leadership in Health Departments
9) Acknowledgements

1) Interim Meeting in Boston 2006-11-05:

AAPHP has reserved Room 160-A at the Boston Convention and Exposition Center for NOVEMBER 5, 2006.  AAPHP business sessions will be held from 8:00 am to 11:30 am.  Educational events will be held from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.  Between the business meeting and educational session, we will adjourn so members can attend the Opening General Session of the American Public Health Association (APHA).

The featured speaker for the educational sessions will be IRA HELFAND, M.D., past president of Physicians for Social Responsibility, presenting on "The U.S. and Nuclear Terrorism: Still Dangerously Unprepared".

All are welcome at these events.  There is no charge or registration requirement for either of the AAPHP sessions.

2) New AAPHP President Alfio Rausa, MD, MPH:

Long-time AAPHP member ALFIO RAUSA, MD, MPH (Greenwood, MS) became President of AAPHP at our June meeting.  Dr. Rausa has been in Northwest Mississippi as a Health Officer at the Mississippi Department of Health since 1973.  Since 1978, he has served as the District Health Officer for Delta Hills Public Health District III.

Dr. Rausa will serve a two-year term from 2006-2008.

3) AAPHP Officers and Trustees 2006-2007:

Elected or re-elected to Officer and Executive Committee positions for 2006-2008 were KEVIN M. SHERIN, MD, MPH (Orlando, FL), President-Elect; TIMOTHY P. BARTH, MD, CCHP (Detroit, MI), Vice President; ARVIND K. GOYAL, MD, MPH (Rolling Meadows, IL), AMA Delegate; and JOSEPH L. MURPHY, MD (Chicago, IL), AMA Alternate Delegate.

Elected or re-elected to Trustee positions were QUENTIN D. YOUNG, MD (Chicago, IL); SHARON MARABLE, MD, MPH (Providence, RI); JOSHUA LIPSMAN, MD, JD, MPH (New Rochelle, NY); MARY ELLEN BRADSHAW, MD (Phoenix, AZ); ELLEN S. B. ALKON, MD, MPH (Los Angeles, CA); NEIL E. WINSTON, MD (Chicago, IL); and CHARLES C. MASHEK, MD, MBA (Lafayette, LA).

Continuing AAPHP officers include yours truly as Secretary; JOHN POUNDSTONE, MD, MPH as Treasurer; and ARVIND K. GOYAL, MD, MPH as Immediate Past President.  Continuing AAPHP Trustees include ARTHUR P. LIANG, MD, MPH (Atlanta, GA), and CAMILLE DILLARD, DO, MPH (Dolgeville, NY).

Thanks to all for these important services to AAPHP and to our specialty!

4) AAPHP Member Ron Davis will be next AMA President:

Long-time AAPHP member RONALD M. DAVIS, MD, MA was unanimously elected as the President-Elect of the American Medical Association at the AMA's June meeting in Chicago.  Dr. Davis will serve as the AMA's President during 2007-2008.

To the best of our knowledge, this will be the first time in the AMA's history that a Public Health Physician and an AAPHP member will serve as AMA's President.

AAPHP has supported Dr. Davis' work in the AMA, including his previous campaigns for AMA Trustee positions.

Congratulations and thanks to Dr. Davis for his service!

5) AMA Resolutions Submitted for November meeting:

AAPHP's AMA Delegate Arvind K. Goyal, MD, MPH and Alternate Delegate Joseph L. Murphy, MD will carry three AAPHP resolutions to the AMA's 2006 Interim Meeting (I-06) in Las Vegas next month.

*****

First, because our specialty has been singled out in some states for a restricted medical licensure status, Resolution 815 (I-06) would address "The Practice of Public Health by Physicians":

RESOLVED, that our American Medical Association adopt a policy recognizing the practice of public health by physicians as a legitimate practice of medicine (New HOD Policy) and be it further

RESOLVED, that our AMA oppose specialty-specific license restrictions for American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS)-recognized specialties (New HOD Policy); and be it further

RESOLVED, that our AMA encourage the ABMS and the Federation of State Medical Boards to adopt similar policies recognizing the practice of public health by physicians as a legitimate practice of medicine and opposing specialty-specific license restrictions for ABMS-recognized specialties.  (Directive to Take Action)

(Resolution 815 has been accepted for consideration at Reference Committee K.  Any AMA member may submit comments through the AMA's Web page at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16955.html.)

*****

Second, Resolution 605 would address "Future AMA Meetings in Smoke-Free Facilities/Hotels:

RESOLVED, That all future American Medical Association meetings and conferences, not yet contracted and finalized, be held only at smoke-free facilities and hotels. (Directive to Take Action)

(Resolution 605 has not yet been accepted for a Reference Committee.  Any AMA member may submit comments on Resolution 605 through the AMA's Web page at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16958.html.)

*****

Finally, Resolution 608 would address "Prevention of Slaughter in Schools:  A Public Health Crisis":

RESOLVED, that our AMA take a public health leadership role in the prevention of violence in our schools and call for establishment of an effective measure of security to assure that no weapons are brought into our schools, and be it further
 
RESOLVED, that our AMA Board further study the timely issue of violence in our schools and issue a report of its recommendations at the A-2007 meeting of the House of Delegates.

(Resolution 608 has not yet been published for comment on the AMA's Web site.  It appears that it will probably be accepted for consideration at Reference Committee F.  If so, it may be published before the Interim Meeting at http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/16953.html.)

6) June 2006 AMA Resolutions Advance:

AAPHP's June 2006 AMA Resolutions on "One Year Public Health Training Option for All Specialties" and "Maximum Allowable Cost of Prescription Medications" were referred to the AMA Board for further consideration in the interval between the 2006 and 2007 AMA Annual Meetings.

This process helps set the AMA Board's agenda and assures future consideration of these proposals with the Board's input.

7) Dr. Goyal's Letter to AAPHP Members:

AAPHP's Immediate Past President ARVIND K. GOYAL, MD, MPH sent the following letter to Board members in June under the heading "All Good Things Come To An End…."  He has asked that this letter be shared with all AAPHP members:

*****

Dear Colleagues,

As my implied "contract" to serve you as President of the American Association of Public Health Physicians ended this past weekend, I wanted to thank you for the opportunity.
 
You gave me the highest honor you could!  You trusted me to represent you in places where you weren't watching.  But there were others who were watching, listening, and reading what I was saying on your behalf.  I hope I did not let you down.
 
There were times when decisions had to be made quickly.  And I wasn't sure what you would have wanted.  I used my best judgment in those situations.  And you were kind and gracious enough to support my actions even at times when, I know, some of you disagreed.  For all that understanding and constant encouragement, I am thankful.
 
As I look back, working as a team, we were able to continue the forward momentum.  I thought we made progress, because every mistake I made was a new one!  The AAPHP has more members today, more of us involved in the leadership, more things we want to do and more people outside of our association know us.
 
For those leaving the Board (Drs. Reedy, Rumm and Safran), your contributions will be remembered by those you are leaving behind but even more importantly, I hope you will continue to remain involved.  And those continuing (Drs. Dillard, Liang, Lipsman, Mack and Paul) and those joining the new leadership team (Drs. Alkon, Bradshaw, Marable, Mashek, Murphy, Winston and Young), we look forward to learning from you and translating your ideas into actions.
 
Those behind me, whom you have chosen to lead the AAPHP, Drs. Rausa, Sherin, Barth, Cundiff and Poundstone, appear enthusiastic, qualified and ready to run.  Most are even taller than me!  Please support and guide them at least as much as you did to help me.  You elected me to represent you as a delegate to the AMA for 2 more years and I will serve any other place your new President asks.  I also plan on tying the "loose ends" and complete any unfinished business from my recently ended term.
 
As I leave, "Say not that he did well, or ill, only that he did his best."

Sincerely, ARVIND K. GOYAL, MD, MPH

8) Call for Science-Based Leadership in Health Departments:

AAPHP's Job Market Initiative chair JOEL L. NITZKIN, MD, MPH, DPA presented three papers on AAPHP's behalf to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Committee on Training Physicians for Public Health Careers on October 5, 2006.

In these papers, he cites published work on Health Department leadership.  Medical and scientific training appear vital for effective leadership in governmental public health, but the topic has not been systematically studied.  While systematically collecting evidence on the value of physician leadership, we need to assure adequate training funds for physician Public Health leaders in the future.

The three papers are indexed on AAPHP's Job Market Web site at http://www.aaphp.org/JobMarket/PHP_positions.asp.  The paper on "Training Physicians for Public Health Careers" is http://www.aaphp.org/JobMarket/manpower/ModelPHPTrainingNeeds091406final.pdf.  Slides for this presentation are http://www.aaphp.org/JobMarket/manpower/100506IOManower.pdf.   A review of literature on public health physician needs is http://www.aaphp.org/JobMarket/manpower/PHPWorkforceLitReview091206cit.pdf.  An editorial on the technical sophistication needs of public health agency leadership is http://www.aaphp.org/JobMarket/manpower/091506PHPEditorialCIT.pdf.

9) Acknowledgements:

Thanks to those mentioned -- particularly to AAPHP's hard-working officers and trustees.  It's good to be back!  We hope to see as many of you as possible in Boston.

Dave Cundiff, MD, MPH (cundiff@reachone.com)
AAPHP Secretary and E-News Editor

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