News for Academic Physicians

ISTEP meets to discuss study of learning environment

The AMA-convened Innovative Strategies for Transforming the Education of Physicians (ISTEP) collaborative met in Chicago in October to discuss its study of the learning environment in 29 medical schools from across the United States and Canada. Read details about the meeting and other articles in the November edition of AMA MedEd Update.

Delivered free each month, AMA MedEd Update covers news and analysis for the continuum of medical education, including medical schools, graduate medical education, continuing physician professional development and health care careers.

Physicians discuss strategy to expand GME

The need to expand graduate medical education (GME) to meet the nation's growing need for physicians was a key topic of discussion during the AMA Section on Medical Schools' (SMS) 35th Interim Assembly Meeting.

Panelists also covered innovative strategies to expand and distribute GME funds at the state and regional level during the Nov. 4 meeting in Denver, held in conjunction with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Annual Meeting.

In addition, Richard Krugman, MD, the dean of the University of Colorado School of Medicine, gave a presentation highlighting innovative curricular programs at his medical school.

Presentation slides are available in the agenda book on the AMA-SMS Web page.

Your opportunity to be a leader is here

Explore the various ways you can get involved and become an active leader in organized medicine—and speak for the interests of your colleagues and patients—by browsing a list of opportunities from the AMA.

The list is separated by segment and has something for just about everybody. For example, the AMA Council on Medical Education is seeking nominations to fill 14 slots on 13 different Residency Review Committees of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Subject areas include:

• Dermatology
• Radiology diagnostic
• Emergency medicine
• Family medicine
• Medical genetics
• Nuclear medicine
• Orthopedic surgery
• Pathology
• Pediatrics
• Radiation oncology
• Psychiatry
• Surgery
• Thoracic surgery

To learn more about these RRC opportunities or to apply, contact Evelyn Sherrill of the AMA via email or at (312) 464-4515.

As the nation's health care system continues to evolve and as patients look for reliable sources of information, physicians are stepping forward to educate them, offer alternative solutions, and engage the White House and Congress on pivotal issues. Here's your chance to make an impact.

Apply to serve as student rep on NRMP board

Medical students who want to serve as the student representative on the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Board of Directors need to apply by Dec.1.

The NRMP provides an impartial venue for matching applicants' and programs' preferences for each other. It is governed by its Board of Directors, which comprises members from five medical education organizations, one program director organization and three medical student organizations, including the AMA Medical Student Section. The Board also selects one program director, three resident physicians and one public member from at-large nominations.

Manage your AMA email

A new email management tool will let you choose which AMA digital publications you would like to receive and which email address you prefer for delivery—all on one Web page.

To subscribe to a number of general interest email publications, follow these steps:

• Log in to the AMA Email Preferences Center. To access the center, either log in with your AMA account or create an account if you don't have one.
• Indicate your name and primary email address.
• Choose your email preferences (select subscriptions and address for delivery) for AMA email communications.

If you already subscribe to AMA email publications, those preferences will be pre-populated at the Email Preferences Center. If you wish to keep those preferences, no action on your part is needed. But any time you need to update your preferences, visit the Email Preferences Center.

See a preview of the email publications you can manage at the center. Then login to the AMA Email Preferences Center and begin to get information from the AMA the way you want to receive it.