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August 1996
Volume 60 |
Number 8
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RESIDENTS' REVIEW
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| AMA Resident Physicians
Section Report |
Scott E. Metzger, M.D., Chair-Elect
ASA Resident Component Governing Council
Steven J. Hattamer, M.D., ASA Delegate
Janet D. Pearl, M.D., ASA Alternate Delegate
American Medical Association Resident Physicians Section
The American Medical Association (AMA) Resident Physicians Section
(RPS) held its annual meeting June 21-23. Several important issues
were brought to the assembly. The RPS spoke strongly in favor
of mandatory HIV testing for pregnant women in an effort to decrease
the rate of maternal transmission of the virus. This resolution,
which started in the RPS, made headlines in many of the national
news programs after its passage.
Of great importance to anesthesiologists was the resolution introduced
by the RPS calling for educating the public about the professional,
academic, training and certification standards of physicians versus
that of nonphysicians. Although most RPS members believed that
the general public needs further education about the specific
role anesthesiologists play as physicians, there was hesitancy
by the RPS to pass the resolution.
Several anesthesiology residents addressed the RPS and provided
convincing evidence for passage of the resolution. Steven J. Hattamer,
M.D., Delegate to the RPS, conveyed ASA's strong views in favor
of the resolution. Scott E. Metzger, M.D., and Janet D. Pearl,
M.D., both members of the ASA Resident Component Governing Council,
provided additional testimony. Pivotal roles were played by Sam
L. Page, M.D., Resident Delegate from Illinois, Paul R. Barach,
M.D., Resident Delegate from Massachusetts, and Sheila Y. Rao,
M.D., Chair of the Maryland Resident Component.
After the resolution passed in the ASA Resident House of Delegates,
Michael S. Katz, M.D., AMA-RPS Alternate Delegate, worked tirelessly
in the AMA House of Delegates to gather greater support for the
resolution to ensure its subsequent passage. Special thanks goes
to James F. Arens, M.D., and the other members of the Section
Council on Anesthesiology of the AMA for their stalwart support
of the Resident Physicians Section.
Resident members of ASA have been very active this year, both
inside and outside of our Society. We have had highly visible
roles at all AMA events, including the Leadership Award Program
and the RPS Interim Meeting. We are vocally represented at other
organizations such as the National Consortium of Resident Physician
Organizations, where John L. Jimenez, M.D., Chair of the ASA Resident
Component Governing Council, serves as Vice-Chair. Ann C. Still,
M.D., Secretary to the Governing Council, was instrumental in
creating the Resident Section of the American Society of Regional
Anesthesia.
There are many issues affecting us as anesthesiology residents.
Issues of health care dynamics, the role of nurse anesthetists
and the decrease in resident numbers will all have an important
effect on the way we practice anesthesiology in the future. It
is extremely important that we all become involved. Whether it
is through participation in ASA, the AMA, state medical societies
or in hospital committees at the local level, it is imperative
that we have strong and vociferous representation now to ensure
the strength and survival of our profession tomorrow.
To find out how to get involved, contact the Resident Component
Governing Council through the ASA Executive Office, 520 N. Northwest
Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068-2573; (847) 825-5586; <mail@ASAhq.org>.
Scott E. Metzger, M.D., is a CA-4 Fellow
in Pain Management at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland.
Steven J. Hattamer, M.D., recently completed
his residency training at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center,
Lebanon, New Hampshire.
E-mail the author.
Janet D. Pearl, M.D., is a CA-3 anesthesiology
resident at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.
E-mail the author.
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