Dear WPC Members:
This has been an exciting year for the WPC! As you may know, the WPC has a newly expanded WPC membership as we moved from a sign-up membership of 4,000 to a powerful new umbrella group representing over 63,000 women physicians and medical students. All women AMA members are now automatically enrolled in the WPC and eligible to actively participate in all of our WPC activities including running for office and voting on issues.
Several new activities have been undertaken by the WPC. First, we have initiated our first annual AMA-WPC Physician Mentor Recognition Program to recognize those physicians who have made a difference in our professional lives. Please go our September Women in Medicine Month Web site to download a nomination form today and tell us about the person you want to highlight. We’ll issue your nominee a special certificate and celebrate them during September Women in Medicine Month.
Second, the WPC will be holding a special gala reception at the 2007 Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates on November 9 at the
Our annual September Women in Medicine Month celebration provides an additional venue for acknowledging the influence of women physicians in medicine. This year’s theme “Sharing a Passion for Medicine” celebrates those physicians who have contributed to the success of women physicians and provides a chance to say thank you to colleagues. Find out how you can take part in this event.
This summer, the WPC sponsored a number of events at the AMA’s Annual Meeting including a continuing medical education session which featured keynote speakers former U.S. Surgeon General, Antonia C. Novello, MD, DrPH, and Texas A&M University Health Science Center President and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Nancy W. Dickey, MD. These women physicians provided insights into how women physicians can reconcile professional/personal beliefs with "real world," often conflicting, administrative policy and politics.
WPC-Liaisons and leaders were also honored at a special breakfast at the AMA’s Annual meeting that provided attendees with the opportunity to network about activities and issues of particular interest to women physicians. I encourage you to go to our WPC Liaison Web site to read informational reports from our Liaisons and find out if your specialty and/or state medical society has appointed a WPC Liaison. If they have not, send an e-mail to wpc@ama-assn.org for more information on becoming a WPC Liaison today.
We also recently announced two new Giambalvo Scholarship winners, Ethan Jewett, MA and Patricia Turner, MD, at our WPC Caucus in June. This scholarship promotes research regarding women physician and women’s health issues.
The WPC continues to be a forum for members to discuss policy items before the AMA, and to foster leadership development within the organization. We would love to hear from you. Send us an e-mail if there are any issues you would like us to work on or bring forward. We are in regular communication with our members, and with the leadership of the AMA Board of Trustees. Thank you for your continued involvement in this dynamic organization.
Erin E. Tracy, M.D., M.P.H.
WPC Governing Council Chair
Content provided by: Women Physicians Congress