AMA eVoice Weekly Newsletter

Preparing tomorrow’s leaders in medicine today

I've had the unique opportunity to witness all facets of the medical education continuum from both sides of the spectrum. As a student and trainee, I completed 10 years of medical school and residency and fellowship training in cardiology. And I'm now a professor in both the departments of medicine and humanities at the Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

In both capacities I've witnessed a lot of changes, particularly since I entered medical school at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) at Galveston 33 years ago. We didn't use Facebook or Blackberries. We didn't have studies showing that an 80-hour work week wasn't exactly "healthy." And we most certainly never had the opportunity to meet via chat rooms with classmates. But despite these differences, the basic principle of why students enter into medicine—to care for patients—has never changed. 

One of the reasons why I became so involved with the AMA is because of my passion for medical education and to help advance medical education's standards. The AMA's value to the medical profession relates to the same reason we define ourselves as a profession—because of our medical education. Making a difference in how we educate our students and producing curriculum in a way to keep them excited are both keys in the advancement of teaching our young physicians-in-training the ins and outs of medical care. 

The AMA presents several opportunities to help advance medical education individually for medical students, and resident and fellow trainees. Here are just a few examples. The AMA Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) offers exclusive opportunities to expand one's medical experience worldwide through international elective rotations. The AMA-RFS has also developed a three-part guide, "Succeeding from medical school to practice," to help teach medical students, residents and fellows more about the nonclinical demands of the practice environment. And the AMA provides four-week internship opportunities with Discovery Health, where participants develop a medical education program to air on the Discovery Channel.

The AMA Medical Student Section (MSS) offers medical students opportunities to help patients think, decide, plan and take positive action to improve healthy behaviors through various activities, as part of its 2009-2011 National Service Project, the AMA Healthier Life Steps^TM program. AMA-MSS chapters can execute such activities by applying for an AMA chapter involvement grant. The AMA-MSS also provides two unique opportunities to intern in Washington, D.C., the Government Relations Advocacy Fellowship and the Government Relations Internship Program, through which students get hands-on training in national health policy and the legislative activities of organized medicine.

In addition, medical trainees have several chances to participate in research through the AMA. The AMA Foundation Seed Grant Research Program provides medical students, residents and fellows with grants to complete basic science, applied or clinical research projects. And hosted by the AMA-RFS and the AMA-MSS at the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, the annual Research Poster Symposium gives physicians-in-training experience in abstract composition and research presentation.

Just this past June in Chicago, the AMA House of Delegates adopted several new policies during its Annual Meeting on issues surrounding this topic, such as transforming the medical education learning environment, communication and clinical teaching curricula, promoting physician lifelong learning, medical student debt, and education in disaster medicine and public health preparedness.

There are several opportunities through the AMA in which physicians can get involved and help make a difference. I've been blessed to serve on the AMA Council on Medical Education, as well as be an AMA representative to both the Liaison Committee on Medical Education, which sets standards for undergraduate medical education, and the Accreditation Council on Continuing Medical Education, which sets requirements for organizations wishing to have the AMA grant them the privilege to award AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ to practicing physicians. Other opportunities I've had to serve our medical profession have been on the Liaison Committee on Specialty Boards, as well as on the steering committee of the Federation of State Medical Boards-convened Summits on Assessment of Physician Competency.

It is our job as stewards of our profession to make sure future physicians are prepared to deliver nothing but absolute excellence in patient care. Educational standards have to continue to be refreshed, refined and improved as technology changes, and as the information overload continues.

The mentors I had at UTMB reinforced to me and to my peers the basic concepts of service to patients and service to society through such avenues as professional organizations. My hope is that the AMA will always provide those same opportunities to advance our standards of medical education to medicine's future leaders, some who can take advantage of those opportunities today.

— J. James Rohack, MD

E-mail comments, questions and replies to Dr. Nielsen

1) AMA reacts to President Obama’s address on health system reform; letter outlines critical elements of reform
In response to President Obama’s address before a joint session of Congress Sept. 9, the AMA re-emphasized its commitment to achieving meaningful health system reform for America’s patients and physicians this year.

“It is clear that the status quo is unacceptable,” AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, said. “The AMA will continue to work for reform that makes the system work better for patients and physicians.”

View Dr. Rohack’s full statement on President Obama’s address.

Prior to Obama’s address, Dr. Rohack sent a letter to the president and members of Congress urging action on reforms that will benefit all Americans.

And following the speech, AMA Board of Trustees member Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, discussed health system reform and the AMA’s reaction to Obama’s address on MSNBC’s Morning Meeting. Watch Dr. Lazarus on MSNBC’s Morning Meeting.

2) President Obama announces medical liability initiative, responds to AMA call to address cost of defensive medicine
In his health reform address to a joint session of Congress, President Obama announced that he has directed the Secretary of Health and Human Services to begin work immediately to offer state demonstration grants on alternative medical liability reforms. The announcement follows months of dialogue with the president, senior White House officials, AMA leadership and advocacy staff, beginning immediately after the elections.

During a meeting in May with President Obama, AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, linked the cost of defensive medicine to desires to “bend the spending curve” and urged consideration of “safe harbors” for physicians adhering to best practice guidelines. In addition, the AMA has advocated funding for states to test health courts, early offer programs and certificates of merit to dispense with nonmeritorious claims.

This concept of state pilots to test alternatives has been previously advanced in legislation sponsored by Sen. Michael Enzi, R-Wyo., and Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. In July, the House Energy and Commerce Committee adopted an amendment to H.R. 3200 that provided state grants to test early offer and certificate-of-merit programs.

At the federal level, caps on noneconomic damages have created a challenge for the AMA and state medical societies. When Republicans held a majority in the Senate and an effort was made to secure Democratic support for caps on noneconomic damages, the discussion focused on a $500,000 cap with exceptions for certain cases. Some Republican senators also expressed support for exceptions to a noneconomic damages cap. The AMA has consistently opposed federal proposals that would undermine effective state laws such as those in California, Texas, Louisiana, Indiana, Kansas, Georgia and Mississippi.

The state pilot projects announced by President Obama will be administered by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The AMA will provide additional information on this initiative as soon as it is available.

3) Increase in uninsured makes stronger case for health reform
Following the U.S. Census Bureau’s report this week that 46.3 million Americans are uninsured, the AMA urged Congress to remain focused on this issue as the health reform debate continues.

“It’s no surprise that the ranks of the uninsured have swelled as the economy has shrunk this past year,” said AMA President J. James Rohack, MD. “For too many American families, losing a job also means losing health insurance. We can do better—46.3 million uninsured is unacceptable for our great nation. As Congress gets back to work, the plight of the growing number of uninsured should be front and center in the health reform debate.”

View Dr. Rohack’s full statement on the number of uninsured in America.

Learn more about the AMA’s principles for improving the U.S. health care system.

4) New poll shows concerns with current health care system remain high
New polling data—released jointly Sept. 9 by the AMA, AARP and the American Nurses Association (ANA)—shows that Americans age 50 and older remain concerned with the current health care system, underscoring the need for reform.

“Dedicated physicians work day and night to provide their patients with high quality care within the confines of a fragmented health system,” AMA Immediate Past President Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD, said. “This poll shows the public shares our concern about improving our health care system for all Americans.”

View an executive summary of the poll, and view a full report.

View a joint news release from the AMA, the AARP and the ANA about the survey.

5) Television ad debunks health care reform myth
Americans for Stable Quality Care, an organization supported by the AMA and others, created a television ad called “Truth” to take on the myths about health care reform. The ad was released this week.

6) Prepare for H1N1 flu with AMA webinar; CMS call
Hear the most accurate, current clinical guidelines for management of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, including information on vaccine ordering and delivery, as part of “Physicians: Prepare for the 2009 H1N1 flu,” an AMA webinar scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. CST Sept. 22.

Hosted by the AMA in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the webinar also will cover recommendations for physicians from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice and basic epidemiology of the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. The AMA advises vaccination for seasonal influenza and, where recommended, vaccination for 2009 H1N1 flu.

Anthony Fiore, MD, a medical epidemiologist with the CDC, will discuss guidance on CDC recommendations for screening and management of cases of the 2009 H1N1 flu. Raymond A. Strikas, MD, of the HHS’s National Vaccine Program Office, will discuss logistics of vaccine supply and delivery for providers. Litjen Tan, director of the AMA’s medicine and public health department, will moderate the session.

The webinar is open free of charge to 1,000 individuals. Register early to reserve your spot.

In addition, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is convening a call for physicians from 1:30 to 3 p.m. EST Sept. 14 to share information about the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The call will cover H1N1 flu virus preparedness and response, vaccine availability, infection control and more.

Call (800) 837-1935 and enter conference ID “2H1N1” to participate. E-mail questions to H1N1.listening@hhs.gov in advance of the call.

7) Column by Dr. Nielsen focuses on preparing for seasonal, H1N1 influenza
AMA Immediate Past President Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD, writes in a column posted yesterday on physician blog KevinMD.com, “This flu season will be challenging, but by educating our patients on the importance of getting vaccinated against seasonal influenza, and preparing our practices for the influx of patients and new H1N1 vaccine, we can successfully brave this storm.”

Dr. Nielsen also points to several resources that are available from the AMA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

8) Free webinar highlights motivational interviewing techniques for counseling parents about secondhand smoke
The AMA is offering a free online program at 9 a.m. CST on Sept. 29 designed to assist clinicians in talking about the health risks associated with secondhand smoke.

Jonathan Winickoff, MD, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Julius B. Richmond Center Tobacco Consortium and associate professor of pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, will review basic principles of motivational interviewing and practical advice on overcoming barriers. The webinar is funded as a cooperative agreement with the Environmental Protection Agency. If you are unable to attend this event live, it will be archived and available for future viewing on the AMA Web site.

Space is limited. Learn more and register.

9) In JAMA: Alteration in brain dopamine pathway appears to be associated with certain symptoms of ADHD
Results from brain scans suggest an association between a reduction in the transmission of dopamine markers with symptoms of inattention for individuals with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), according to a preliminary study in the Sept. 9 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

View the JAMA Report video about this study.

1) Register for upcoming GLMA Conference
The 27th annual Conference of the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) will take place Sept. 30–Oct. 3 at the Westin Washington, D.C., City Center.

The conference will help participants identify resources and avenues for health care access for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population, utilize screening tools for at-risk LGBT populations, understand recent advances in health care delivery specific to the LGBT patient population and develop strategies for advocacy for LGBT health care at the local level.

2) LGBT civil rights group offers health system reform objectives
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a national LGBT civil rights organization, recently announced a set of objectives that will serve as a benchmark as it evaluates health system reform legislation. The objectives include health care decision-making authority vested in LGBT domestic partners, assurance of access to culturally competent health care providers and expansion of federally funded health surveys to include collection of data relating to LGBT populations.

Visit the HRC Web site to read more about these objectives and the HRC's advocacy efforts.

1) Vote on resolutions for AMA-IMG Section Virtual Congress
Final versions of AMA-IMG Section resolutions for the upcoming fall congress meeting will be posted online from Sept. 16–21. View the final versions, then send an e-mail to img@ama-assn.org with either “approve” or “not approve” in the subject line. A simple majority vote will prevail, and only current AMA-IMG members' votes will be counted.

2) Complete AMA-IMG survey by Sept. 30
The AMA-IMG recently e-mailed a survey to all members. If you have not received it, send an e-mail to img@ama-assn.org with your full name, city and state, and the section will e-mail you a link to the survey.

Responses to the survey are due by Sept. 30 and will be kept confidential. Call the AMA-IMG Section at (312) 464-5678 if you have questions.

3) Register online for the AMA-IMG Section meeting
The AMA-IMG Section has an exciting meeting on tap from Nov. 6–9 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Highlights will include Gerry Dillon, vice president of the United States Medical Licensing Examination, speaking at the AMA-IMG Section Congress, and a lively caucus featuring a town-hall format co-sponsored by the Texas Medical Association IMG Section and the AMA-IMG Section. In addition, AMA President J. James Rohack, MD, has been invited to deliver the keynote address at the Busharat Ahmad, MD, Leadership Program.

Register online for the meeting. Call J. Mori Johnson, director of the AMA-IMG Section, at (312) 464-5678 if you have questions or wish to give an organizational report at the meeting.

Brought to you by the AMA Section on Medical Schools

1) AMA-SMS November meeting registration form now online
The AMA-SMS is going green. As a result, information about the next AMA-SMS meeting—which will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Marriott Copley Place in Boston—was e-mailed to all section representatives last week.

The meeting will be held in conjunction with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Annual Meeting, which is taking place at the same time as the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Houston. Discounted rates for hotel reservations are available only when registering for the AAMC meeting.

Register for the meeting by Oct. 12. Meeting registration is free.

Register for the AAMC meeting.

If you will not be registering through the AAMC, those attending only the section meeting may visit the Marriott Web site to secure hotel accommodations.

Send an e-mail to jackie.drake@ama-assn.org or call the section's office at (312) 464-4655 if you have questions or did not receive the meeting information e-mail.

2) Participate in Sept. 16 performance improvement CME webinar
An AMA webinar can help continuing medical education (CME) providers learn how to get started in performance improvement CME through a 90-minute webinar scheduled to take place at 3 p.m. EDT Sept. 16.

Visit the Online Learning Web site to view program details and registration information.

3) Stay up to date with news about the H1N1 virus
The AMA is working closely with public health groups to make sure that physicians are prepared with timely, concise and up-to-date guidance in response to the H1N1 flu. Visit the AMA's H1N1 Web site to view frequent updates and resources.

4) Do you have a stethoscope to donate?
The AMA's WorldScopes initiative, in collaboration with the AMA Foundation, collects and delivers stethoscopes to doctors, nurses and other health care professionals around the world who lack this most basic of medical instruments.

To date, WorldScopes has distributed nearly 6,500 stethoscopes—worth an estimated $100,000—to clinics and hospitals from Afghanistan to Zambia. Last year, WorldScopes provided stethoscopes for mobile medical teams that responded in the deadly aftermath of cyclones in Myanmar. Recently, stethoscopes were delivered to a maternity ward in the Philippines and to a pediatric hospital in the Dominican Republic.

WorldScopes donations are tax deductible. Learn more about how you can help make a difference.

1) Register, reserve hotel room for AMA-MSS meeting
Online registration for the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting, which will take place Nov. 5–7 in Houston, is ongoing and due by Oct. 1. The AMA has reserved a block of rooms at the Hyatt Regency Houston at a discounted rate for meeting attendees; the deadline to reserve a room is Oct. 9.

Be sure to also register for “Health system reform update: A bipartisan discussion,” a session sponsored by the AMA's sections and special groups. Speakers will engage in a candid discussion about the status of health system reform, where it is heading and what it means for physicians and patients. Registration is required to take part in this session.

Register for “Health system reform update: A bipartisan discussion.”

2) Submit abstracts for AMA-MSS Research Poster Symposium
The AMA-MSS is accepting abstract submissions for the seventh annual AMA-MSS Research Poster Symposium, which will take place Nov. 6–7 during the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting in Houston. Abstracts are due by 5 p.m. CST Sept. 18.

The poster symposium is hosted by the AMA-MSS and the AMA Resident and Fellow Section. Abstracts may be submitted in one of the following eight categories: biochemistry/cell biology, cancer biology, cardiology/vascular biology, clinical/epidemiological/health care, immunology/microbiology, neurobiology/neuroscience, radiology/imaging and surgery. Prizes will be awarded to one winner in each category, with the overall winner receiving a trip to the 2010 AMA-MSS Annual Assembly Meeting in Chicago.

Abstracts also may be entered into an oral presentation competition that will be held separate from the poster symposium.

Learn more about the poster symposium and the oral presentation competition.

3) Chapter of the week: University of Minnesota to hold lecture about health system reform
The AMA-MSS Chapter at the University of Minnesota will host a lunch lecture for all medical students featuring a state lobbyist and a local physician discussing the AMA's position on health system reform. A question-and-answer session will follow.

Send an e-mail to chapter Vice President Bryan Eberle at eber0146@umn.edu for more information about this event.

4) Interested in health care quality measurement and improvements? Apply for scholarships
The American College of Medical Quality (ACMQ) will award $1,500 scholarships to students who have demonstrated an interest in health care quality measurement and improvement. The scholarships will cover expenses for travel to the Medical Quality 2010 conference in Washington, D.C.

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is Sept. 30. Visit the ACMQ Web site and click on “Student & Resident Scholarship Program” for more information.

5) Find out about cardiothoracic surgery this fall
If you're interested in cardiothoracic surgery, get hands-on experience and learn more about this specialty by participating in a special interest course set to take place from 5:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 12 as part of the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Chicago.

Held especially for medical students and residents, the course will provide a technology overview of cardiothoracic surgery in the future. Students and residents must complete a registration form and either fax or mail it in. Cost to participate in the course is $25 and includes dinner.

6) Learning about the brachial plexus in five minutes: just one benefit of being an AMA member
Do you know and understand the brachial plexus? Would you like to in just a few moments? You can by accessing the special resource “Learn the Brachial Plexus in Five Minutes or Less,” which contains a simple method that can help you familiarize yourself with this arrangement of nerve fibers quickly and easily.

If you're an AMA member, don't lose valuable resources such as this. Renew your membership. If you're not a member, join the AMA today and begin receiving them.

Brought to you by the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium

1) Share your resolution ideas
Do you have a topic affecting minority physicians, medical students or patients that you would like the AMA-MAC Governing Council to consider introducing to the AMA House of Delegates? If so, send your ideas for resolutions to mac@ama-assn.org today, Sept. 11.

2) New campaign promotes healthy bones for girls
A program from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health—Best Bones Forever!—highlights the need for healthy bones and encourages and motivates girls to choose bone-healthy foods such as calcium and Vitamin D. Physicians are encouraged to spread the word about this program with girls and their parents.

1) Hear bipartisan discussion about health system reform
Join the AMA's sections and special groups for a candid discussion about the status of health system reform, where it is heading and what it means for physicians and patients. This program, which will take place Nov. 7 as part of the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, will consist of AMA leadership and congressional representatives discussing the AMA's involvement in health system reform.

The Interim Meeting will take place Nov. 7–10 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.

Register for the program. Space is limited, so register early.

2) AMA-OMSS meeting set for this fall
The next AMA-OMSS Assembly meeting will take place Nov. 5–7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Resolutions for this meeting are due Sept. 25, and the AMA-OMSS handbook will be posted on the section's Web site Oct. 2.

The meeting will include unique education programs that provide insight and perspective on topics such as employment contracting, accountable care organizations, medical staff organization and leadership.

Register for the meeting.

Send an e-mail to Katie Tinney of the AMA-OMSS at kathryn.tinney@ama-assn.org by Oct. 2 if you would like to serve as chair or a committee member on the reference committee, committee on late resolutions or tellers committees, or as an advisor.

If you are not an AMA-OMSS representative and would like to become one, download a certification form and fax it to (312) 464-5845, e-mail it to omss@ama-assn.org or mail it to 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60654.

3) Feedback requested on working draft of Joint Commission medical staff standard
The AMA is soliciting feedback from its members concerning their level of support for proposed language of Joint Commission hospital accreditation standard MS.01.01.01. Feedback is due by Oct. 15.

A Joint Commission task force convened to implement medical staff standard MS.01.01.01, previously known as MS.1.20, reached consensus and unanimous agreement in March on a completely new “draft” standard that would replace the current standard. Consensus means that each member of the task force agreed to actively support adoption of the recommended new standard. The AMA supports the proposed language for standard MS.01.01.01.

AMA-OMSS representatives can review and provide comment on the working draft standard MS.01.01.01.

If you are not an AMA-OMSS representative and would like to become one, download a certification form and fax it to (312) 464-5845, e-mail it to omss@ama-assn.org or mail it to 515 N. State St., Chicago, IL 60654.

1) Be engaged; attend the AMA-RFS meeting
Will you be at the 33rd annual AMA-RFS Interim Meeting when it takes place Nov. 5–7 at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston? By being there, you can:

• Learn about issues facing medicine as well as issues that you face in training and beyond. This year's educational session is titled “Finding the Perfect Practice, Signing the Right Contract, and Starting your Practice Successfully.”
• Take advantage of networking opportunities. More than 200 residents and fellows from across the country will come together to discuss health care issues, develop new policies, make new friends and connect with old ones. You can join them.
• Become a leader. The AMA-RFS Governing Council chair as well as 15 sectional delegates and alternates to the AMA House of Delegates will be elected at this meeting. The deadline to apply for these positions is Oct. 2. Visit the AMA-RFS Web site for more information.
• Make a difference. You can have a significant effect on issues affecting your work environment and the practice of medicine. Significant policies passed at recent meetings include having the AMA intensely lobby for meaningful health insurance coverage for children, studying the impact of defensive medicine, securing adequate funding for graduate medical education and studying the use of at-home call.

The deadline to register for the meeting is Oct. 2. Visit the AMA-RFS Web site to register and to learn more about the meeting.

2) Research Poster Symposium abstracts due next week
Abstracts for the AMA-RFS's sixth annual Research Poster Symposium, which will take place Nov. 6–7 during the section's upcoming meeting in Houston, are due by 5 p.m. CST Sept. 15.

Abstract submissions must be of original work by current residents and fellows and should fall into one of four categories: basic science, clinical medicine, health policy and medical education, or a clinical vignette. Top abstracts will be selected for presentation at the symposium.

3) Learn the facts about health system reform
With Congress back in session this week, the debate about health system reform has picked up again. Learn the facts and get the details about the AMA's position on health system reform by visiting the AMA's health system reform Web site. Users can read the AMA's vision for reform, view media interviews of AMA leaders, access a variety of resources that can help explain the reform process and learn more about how to get involved.

View the AMA's health system reform Web site.

1) AMA offers resource for international volunteer opportunities
Physicians who are mapping out their career strategy and navigating professional transition points are encouraged to view the opportunities available by using the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Career Center. The JAMA Career Center Web site is updated regularly, contains articles from JAMA and the Archives journals about career development and can be sorted by countries internationally as well as specialties requested.

2) AMA-SPG state representatives meeting set for this fall
The AMA-SPG will hold a meeting of its state representatives Nov. 6 preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, which will take place from Nov. 7–10 in Houston.

Representatives will serve as liaisons to their states' delegations on issues pertinent to senior AMA members. The states' representatives in attendance will have an opportunity to assist the AMA-SPG with advocacy, communication of issues and recruitment. Any state medical society staff member who is interested in senior physician issues also is welcome to attend.

See if your state has a representative appointed.

Contact Alice Reed of the AMA-SPG at (312) 464-5523 or by e-mail at alice.reed@ama-assn.org for more information or to verify a contact member for your state.

Brought to you by the AMA Women Physicians Congress

1) Are heart attacks more deadly for women?
Doctors have long believed that women are nearly twice as likely as men to die in the first month after a heart attack. But a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has discovered that gender may not directly influence survival outcomes after a heart attack.

2) New campaign promotes healthy bones for girls
A program from the Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health—Best Bones Forever!—highlights the need for healthy bones and encourages and motivates girls to choose bone-healthy foods such as calcium and Vitamin D. Physicians are encouraged to spread the word about this program with girls and their parents.

1) AMA-YPS meeting set for this fall
Young physicians, mark your calendars. The next AMA-YPS Assembly meeting will take place Nov. 5–7 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD). The deadline to submit resolutions to the AMA-YPS and to volunteer for the section's reference, AMA-HOD handbook review or credentials committees is Oct. 2.

Register for the meeting by Oct. 25. After that, you must register on site at the meeting. Visit the AMA-YPS Web site to register.

Learn more about AMA-YPS committees and how to get involved.

Learn more about writing a resolution.

Send an e-mail to Jane Ascroft of the AMA-YPS at jane.ascroft@ama-assn.org if you have questions.

2) AMA resources can help you explain health system reform to your patients
If you have questions about health system reform, chances are your patients do, too. To help bring clarity to some of the commonly asked questions they might have, the AMA developed several resources that explain what health system reform would mean for them.

View the AMA's patient education resources.