Submitting Resolutions to the AMA-YPS

AMA-YPS delegates may submit resolutions, either on behalf of themselves as individuals or on behalf of their state or specialty society. If you are an AMA-YPS representative (delegate) and need help writing a resolution, AMA-YPS staff or any of the Governing Council members will be more than happy to help you. If you have an idea for a resolution, are not an AMA-YPS delegate, and need to know what physician in your state or specialty society can submit a resolution on your behalf, contact the AMA-YPS. Every resolution debated will identify its author, as well as identify the individual and/or society which is submitting it.

Resolutions must be received prior to the announced deadline date (for Annual 2008, that deadline is May 2) to ensure inclusion on the AMA-YPS website and AMA-YPS Handbook, and allow for online testimony. Resolutions submitted after the deadline are regarded as late, and require a 2/3 vote of the Assembly for acceptance. Resolutions submitted after the deadline for late resolutions are deemed "emergency resolutions" and require a 3/4 vote of the Assembly to accept. All resolutions will be posted on the AMA-YPS workspace maintained by Central Desktop so that testimony can be submitted electronically.

The AMA-YPS uses a streamlined process to deal with submitted resolutions. The goal of the new process is to make the AMA-YPS a key player in formulating AMA policy, and give the AMA-YPS delegates the ability to officially weigh in on pending AMA resolutions that impact young physicians.

Each resolution submitted to the AMA-YPS Assembly will result in either a directive for action by the Governing Council or a resolution to the AMA-HOD. With this new process, the AMA-YPS welcomes resolutions that offer a clear directive to the Governing Council (eg, work with AMA staff to integrate young physicians into AMA activities ), resolutions that seek to create new AMA policy, or resolutions that seek to amend existing AMA policy. Resolutions that seek to create AMA-YPS projects that require additional resources will not be accepted. However, resolutions that ask the AMA-YPS to ask the AMA to implement a similar project will be accepted. The AMA-YPS will not accept for debate any resolution that is identical to one submitted to the AMA-HOD. Rather, that item will be discussed in the AMA-HOD Handbook Review Session to determine official AMA-YPS action. Once a resolution is submitted to the AMA-HOD, or the Governing Council undertakes the desired action and reports back to the AMA-YPS Assembly, the adopted resolution will be sunset.

To ensure your resolution has the best chance for adoption, the AMA-YPS suggests that the following be taken into consideration:

• Make certain that the proposed action benefits physicians and/or their patients, or young physician members in particular.
• Review the AMA Policy Compendium to determine whether current policy already exists.
• Make sure that the resolution’s title appropriately reflects the action for which the resolution calls.
• Clearly state whether the resolution is being submitted by you as an individual or by your state or specialty society delegation (remember that only delegates can submit resolutions).
• Be certain that the whereas statements of the resolution clearly state the need for the action you are seeking in the RESOLVED statement.
• The RESOLVED portion of the resolution must be a definitive statement that is able to stand alone, as only the RESOLVED portion is adopted and appears in the AMA-YPS Final Actions.
• If appropriate, indicate in the RESOLVED portion at which AMA-HOD meeting you’d like the resolution to be considered. Unless the resolution is of some urgency, it should wait until the following meeting so that it can be included in the delegates’ handbook and they can properly prepare to discuss it.
• Include a fiscal note when appropriate. AMA-YPS staff can assist with the development of fiscal information.

In summary, here are some technical points to consider when submitting a resolution:

• Resolutions calling for AMA policy/action similar to what already exists stand little chance for adoption.
• Unclear resolutions may not be passed.
• Grammatically poor resolutions may be defeated.
• Too many “resolved” clauses may cause referral or defeat of a resolution.
• Whereas” clauses may help defeat or pass a resolution.

Send your resolution to the AMA Department of Young Physician Services, 515 N. State Street, Chicago, IL 60654; fax it to the AMA-YPS at (312) 464-5845, ATTN: YPS or e-mail it to the Department of Young Physician Services.