AMA eVoice Weekly Newsletter

Women making their mark in medicine

Many of my columns during the past few months have focused on health system reform. And while this topic is still extremely important, today I want to shift the focus to a particular group of people—women physicians—who have been influential in the health system reform debate, and throughout medicine's history as advocates, colleagues, mentors, role models, teachers and leaders.

It's Women in Medicine Month. Every September, the AMA commemorates the growing number and influence of women physicians in the medical profession. In fact, the AMA has been doing so for 30 years now. This year's theme, "Honoring our past, mentoring our future," couldn't be more appropriate when looking at how women have flourished within our profession over time and provided exemplary leadership for future generations to come.

Look at Mary Walker, MD, for example. She was the first woman commissioned as assistant surgeon general in the U.S. Army in 1864, and she earned a congressional medal of honor for her service during the Civil War. In fact, the AMA features a video that highlights women in the military and the needs and concerns of women physicians who are currently serving or who have served in active duty. Also, Virginia Apgar, MD, developed the first standardized test to evaluate newborns, the Apgar score, in 1952. And Antonia Novello, MD, became the first woman and Hispanic to be appointed to U.S. surgeon general in 1990. The list goes on and on.

I realized in my search for instrumental women that I didn't have to look far. I'm fortunate to be serving among four women physician leaders on the AMA Board of Trustees. AMA Immediate Past President Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD, is one of only two women in history to serve as president of the AMA and to have served as the first-ever woman to become both speaker and vice speaker of the AMA House of Delegates. AMA Board of Trustees Chair Rebecca J. Patchin, MD, has received numerous awards for her leadership and contributions, including the Sandoz Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Riverside County Medical Association Physician of the Year award, and the American Academy of Pain Medicine's Presidential Commendation. Ardis D. Hoven, MD, actively serves in an advisory capacity to the Kentucky governor's task force on HIV/AIDS. And Mary Anne McCaffree, MD, was the first female president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association.

Dr. Nielsen wrote a column last year in honor of Women in Medicine Month about gender equity in medicine. And in order to better understand the issues and challenges women physicians face, the AMA conducted research of its membership on this topic last fall and is using the results to help develop programs and policies that meet the needs of members of the AMA Women Physicians Congress (WPC). Key findings from the survey showed that during their professional careers, more than 40 percent of AMA-WPC members have experienced income disparity, more than one-third have experienced lack of promotion opportunities, and half have experienced sexual harassment.

That's one of the reasons why the AMA-WPC was created: to advance advocacy and understanding of women's health issues and to provide a forum for women in medicine mentoring and leadership development. The group has grown to more than 63,000 strong, including both women physicians and medical students.

Clearly, the progress of women in medicine has come a long way. According to a 2006 AMA study on physician characteristics and distribution, the number of women in medicine has grown dramatically during the past three decades, comprising 27.8 percent of the physician work force and 48.3 percent of U.S. medical students. That's a significant jump when you consider that women comprised less than 5 percent of medical students in the 1970s.

We have so many pioneering women physicians to thank, and so many accomplishments to celebrate. So take this time to honor those who've guided you. There are two ways to do it.  

First, as part of Women in Medicine Month, the AMA-WPC coordinates the Physician Mentor Recognition Program to honor someone who has served a special mentoring role in your life or career. The program is a way for physicians to say thanks to those who have steered them into the specialty they love, helped them find a work/life balance, guided them through a professional society or unknowingly served as a role model. It's easy. Just fill out a nomination form and submit it by mail, fax or e-mail, and your mentor will be recognized at the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) in November in Houston.

Secondly, you can make a donation in your mentor's name. During the Annual Meeting of the AMA-HOD in June, the AMA-WPC announced the AMA Foundation's new Fund for the Advancement of Women in Medicine. The fund provides financial support for research on professional issues affecting women physicians. You can donate your gift online today.

I encourage you to take a moment to recognize the people who are special to you, whether it be women or men physicians, or a professional colleague or teacher, and share their inspiration with others. Give back to those who have given so selflessly for us.

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

1) AMA letter comments on Senate Finance Committee reform legislation
With the U.S. Senate Finance Committee beginning its markup of “America’s Healthy Future Act of 2009” this week, the AMA sent a letter Sept. 21 to committee Chair Max Baucus, D-Mont., and committee members outlining elements of the proposal that it supports and identifying several areas of concern. The AMA will continue to be engaged during both the markup and floor amendment processes to press for changes that improve the proposal.

2) One month left: Review your Humana contract before Oct. 19
The physician protections of the Humana multidistrict litigation class-action settlement agreement end Oct. 19. The termination of the Humana settlement agreement means that Humana no longer has to comply with its settlement terms.

If you are contracted with Humana, the AMA encourages you to review your contract and contact your Humana provider representative to determine how the settlement termination will affect your business relationship with the health insurer.

View the AMA’s Web page devoted to health insurer settlements.

AMA members can download the AMA’s Model Managed Care Contract at no cost.

3) AMA applauds FDA for banning flavored cigarettes
A Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ban on cigarettes containing certain characterizing flavors took effect Sept. 22, a move the AMA applauded. “Cigarette smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the U.S.,” AMA Board Chair Rebecca J. Patchin, MD, said, “and we commend the FDA for continuing to make smoking cessation a top priority.”

View Dr. Patchin’s full statement.

4) Upcoming AMA webinar to cover patient safety improvement
Learn about patient safety evaluation systems, patient safety organizations and event reporting, and discover ways to optimize your participation in patient safety improvement by viewing a free AMA webinar from 8 to 9:30 p.m. EDT Oct. 27.

Presented by leading experts in the field, the webinar will help you

• Understand the scope of patient safety evaluation systems and patient safety organizations
• Participate effectively in hospital or group practice construction of patient safety evaluation systems and patient safety organizations
• Understand safety event reporting
• Recognize how the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 could influence peer review and ongoing professional practice evaluation.

Speakers to be featured during the webinar include Susan M. Nedza, MD, the AMA’s vice president of clinical quality and patient safety strategy and medical director of clinical practice solutions; Janice Anderson, an attorney with Polsinelli Shughart PC; and William A. Conway, MD, senior vice president and chief quality officer with Henry Ford Health System and chief medical officer at Henry Ford Hospital.

Register for the webinar.

5) View archive of AMA’s H1N1 flu webinar
An AMA webinar that provides the most accurate, current clinical guidelines for management of the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus, including information on vaccine ordering and delivery, is available for viewing on the AMA’s new H1N1 influenza Web site.

Hosted by the AMA in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Health and Human Services, the webinar, which originally was broadcast Sept. 22, covers 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.

The AMA’s H1N1 flu Web site features H1N1 flu-related news and resources, including vaccination information and guidance for patients. And users can sign up to receive regular e-mail updates as news breaks.

6) Online program features prescribing for type 2 diabetes
State and national prescribing information for type 2 diabetes as well as evidence-based treatment guidelines are discussed in the latest AMA Therapeutic Insights, a free online quarterly newsletter featuring a different disease in each issue. AMA Therapeutic Insights aims to enhance physician knowledge and practice—and, ultimately, improve the quality of patient care—and AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ is offered for each newsletter.

The American Medical Association is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

7) AMA Morning Rounds: just one benefit of AMA membership
Have you been getting your daily dose of government and medicine, public health and pharmaceutical news? If this doesn’t ring a bell, then you haven’t been reading AMA Morning Rounds. The authoritative news briefing written exclusively for AMA members, AMA Morning Rounds provides concise summaries of the day’s most important developments in health care. Have the latest stories waiting for you in your e-mail inbox every weekday morning.

Subscribe to AMA Morning Rounds.

Renew your AMA membership or join the AMA and have access to valuable benefits such as this.

8) In JAMA: Program for physicians emphasizing self-awareness associated with improvements in burnout, mood and patient empathy
Primary care physicians who participated in an educational program that included an emphasis on mindful communication reported improvement in personal well-being, emotional exhaustion, empathy and attitudes associated with patient-centered care, according to a study in the Sept. 23/30 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), a theme issue on medical education.

1) Guidelines for treating children with gender identity disorder published
An article published in the September issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism includes guidelines recommending that physicians take no action to intervene in the hormonal balance of a young child who identifies as the opposite gender of his or her birth.

2) Human Rights Campaign rates businesses on LGBT policies
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s eighth annual Corporate Equality Index shows an unprecedented 305 major U.S. businesses earned the top rating of 100 percent, up from 260 last year, despite the economic downturn. The annual report by the Human Rights Campaign, a national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) civil rights organization, provides an in-depth analysis and rating of large U.S. employers and their policies and practices pertinent to LGBT employees.

1) 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.

2) 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. Guests are welcome to attend.

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 submit a written or verbal organizational report at the meeting.

3) AMA symposium to cover physician work force
Join the AMA-IMG Section for An AMA Symposium: IMGs in the U.S. Physician Workforce from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2 at AMA Headquarters in Chicago. The 2009 edition of "International Medical Graduates in the U.S. Physician Workforce: A Discussion Paper” will be unveiled at the meeting, prior to its online publication in January.

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) In the AMA GME e-Letter: Do attending physicians need duty hour limits more than residents?
This month’s issue of the AMA’s GME e-Letter discusses the call for limits in attending physician duty hours, highlighting that these physicians are usually older and have greater responsibility necessitating the need for hours limits. The GME e-Letter is the AMA’s monthly newsletter that covers information of interest to the graduate medical education (GME) community.

3) Exciting elective available for medical students, residents/fellows
Medical students, residents and fellows are encouraged to apply for the AMA/Discovery Channel internship, a four-week program during which one AMA medical student member and one AMA resident/fellow member will help develop a medical education program that will air on the Discovery Channel. Applications for the winter elective are due Sept. 30.

Medical students can contact katherine.torres-hertz@ama-assn.org and residents and fellows can e-mail patrick.okeefe@ama-assn.org with questions.

4) AMA Foundation seeks everyday heroes in medicine
Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of leaders in the medical community, the AMA Foundation honors those who go beyond the call of duty to improve the health of our nation with the Excellence in Medicine Awards. Presented in association with Pfizer Inc., the awards recognize a select group of physicians and medical students who represent the highest standards of volunteerism, public service and leadership.

Nominations are due Nov. 16. Learn more about how you can nominate a colleague.

1) Participate in exciting media rotation with Discovery Channel
Medical students are encouraged to apply for the AMA/Discovery Channel internship, a four-week program during which one AMA medical student member will help develop a medical education program that will air on the Discovery Channel.

Available only to AMA medical student and resident and fellow members, this exciting opportunity provides hands-on experience in translating scientific data into an entertaining and informational program. The selected student will work primarily at Discovery Communications headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., and travel to relevant on-site and studio shoots for the program. A stipend of $3,000 will be provided to cover living expenses. Dates and length of the rotation are flexible. Applications are due Sept. 30.

2) Deadline today for resolutions, checklist
Final versions of AMA-MSS resolutions, including a resolution checklist, are due today, Sept. 25. Visit the AMA-MSS Web site to complete and submit the resolution checklist, and send an e-mail to mss@ama-assn.org with final resolutions.

Learn about the AMA-MSS policy-making process and to learn how to write and submit a high-quality resolution.

3) Register for AMA-MSS meeting
Online registration for the AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting, which will take place Nov. 5–7 in Houston, is due by Oct. 1.

Attend educational sessions on addressing healthy lifestyle changes in poor communities, health system reform, medicine and the marketplace, and much more. And participate in a health fair and educational event for the Houston community as part of the section’s national service project, the AMA Healthier Life Steps™ Program, during which section representatives will educate the public about four key health behaviors: diet, physical activity, alcohol consumption and tobacco use.

4) Deadline approaching to apply for AMA-MSS leadership positions
AMA student members will elect a new AMA-MSS Governing Council chair-elect, a new student member of the AMA Board of Trustees, and new regional delegates and alternate regional delegates for the seven AMA-MSS regions during this fall’s AMA-MSS Interim Assembly Meeting. The deadline to apply for any of these positions is Oct. 1.

Learn more about how to apply for these positions and download application materials.

5) Chapter of the Week: University of Minnesota to play kickball for a cause
Members of the AMA chapter at the University of Minnesota’s Twin Cities campus will host a large kickball tournament on Halloween during which they, along with local physicians and friends, will play to raise money for Ronald McDonald House.

Send an e-mail to event coordinator Rachel Wagner at wagne533@umn.edu to learn more about this event.

To help your chapter secure funding to help pay for similar projects and recruitment events, apply for an AMA-MSS Chapter Involvement Grant (CIG). AMA-MSS chapters are eligible for up to $1,000 per academic year. Apply for a CIG at least 30 days before your event.

6) Physicians-in-Training Host Program: just one benefit of AMA membership
Are you digging in your pockets to pay for hotel after hotel while on the residency interview trail? Are you feeling anxious about that looming expense? If so, and if you’re an AMA member, you can take advantage of the AMA Alliance’s Physicians-in-Training Host Program, which provides housing for fourth-year medical students as they interview for residencies. AMA Alliance volunteers will host you in their home. And at a time when you need to save every dollar, that’s a pretty good deal.

Don’t lose valuable AMA resources such as this. Renew your AMA membership, or join the AMA and begin receiving them.

Brought to you by the AMA Minority Affairs Consortium

1) Data describes unique cancer profile of Hispanic, Latino Americans
A new report from the American Cancer Society shows that Hispanic and Latino Americans have a unique cancer risk profile that requires a targeted approach to cancer prevention.

The report finds that Hispanic and Latino Americans are less likely than non-Hispanic whites to develop and die from all cancers combined as well as the four most common cancers: female breast, prostate, colorectum and lung. However, Hispanics have higher rates of several cancers related to infections—stomach, liver and cervix—and are more likely to have cancer detected at a later stage.

2) AMA-MAC caucus to take place Nov. 6
The AMA-MAC caucus and reception will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Nov. 6 in Houston preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Program details will be announced in the coming weeks. All attending the Interim Meeting are encouraged to attend. Refreshments will be served.

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 the meeting are due Sept. 25, and the AMA-OMSS handbook will be posted on the section’s Web site Oct. 9.

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 Sept. 25 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) Registration deadline for AMA-RFS meeting approaching
The AMA-RFS will hold its 33rd annual Interim Meeting Nov. 5–7 at the George Brown Convention Center in Houston. The deadline to register for the meeting is Oct. 2. Register and learn more about the meeting.

View a letter from AMA-RFS Governing Council Chair Baligh Yehia, MD, and learn about important activities and deadlines associated with the meeting.

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.

Take a more active leadership role at the meeting by becoming a convention committee member. Convention committee activities range from helping formulate AMA-RFS policy to planning social and networking events. Visit the AMA-RFS Web site for more information about the committees.

The deadline to submit a resolution is today, Sept. 25. View instructions on submitting a resolution.

2) Participate in exciting media rotation with Discovery Channel
Residents and fellows are encouraged to apply for the AMA/Discovery Channel internship, a four-week program during which one AMA resident or fellow member will help develop a medical education program that will air on the Discovery Channel.

Available only to AMA medical student and resident and fellow members, this exciting opportunity provides hands-on experience in translating scientific data into an entertaining and informational program. The selected resident/fellow will work primarily at Discovery Communications headquarters in Silver Spring, Md., and travel to relevant on-site and studio shoots for the program. A stipend of $3,000 will be provided to cover living expenses. Dates and length of the rotation are flexible. Applications are due Sept. 30.

3) Apply for a seat on the National Residency Match Program Board of Directors
The AMA is seeking candidates for two positions on the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) Board of Directors.

Resident physician directors may serve a maximum of one two-year term. The NRMP Board of Directors has governance and oversight authority for the main residency Match and the Specialties Matching Service. It also ensures that all Match participants abide by the policies that govern those matches and informs the medical education community about trends in graduate medical education by conducting and sponsoring research using its Match outcome data.

All new members attend an orientation session in June. In addition, the board meets three times each year, usually in February, May and October. Board members also serve on one or more committees, which may entail additional travel if work cannot be accomplished by e-mail or telephone conference call.

Visit the NRMP Web site for more information about the Match program and NRMP policies.

Applications are due by Nov. 13. Visit the AMA-RFS Web site to access an application.

4) Share your physical activity patterns through survey
The AMA-RFS public health committee is conducting a national survey on the physical activity patterns of medical students, residents, fellows and attending physicians. Take this brief survey. And please ask your colleagues to take it.

1) Are you seeking medical licensure?
Due in part to the economic downturn, many senior physicians are considering a return to medical practice, either part time or full time. One of the hurdles of returning to practice is obtaining or renewing your medical license. For up-to-date information on every facet of medical licensure, be sure to obtain the AMA’s newly updated 2010 edition of State Medical Licensure Requirements and Statistics.

Order your copy from the AMA Bookstore online or call (800) 621-8335.

2) Senior physician liaison meeting planned for Interim Meeting
The AMA Senior Physicians Group (SPG) Governing Council will hold a liaison meeting from 5 to 6 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Hilton Americas Hotel in Houston preceding the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates (HOD).

The AMA-SPG has progressed in the past two years and is seeking representation from each state on senior-oriented programs that can be presented for discussion at both the Annual and Interim Meetings. These meetings are attended by an increasing number of senior physicians from the AMA-HOD, a third of who are members of the AMA-SPG. Representation can enhance the effectiveness of the AMA-SPG and promote sharing of concerns with other delegates.

Contact Alice Reed of the AMA at alice.reed@ama-assn.org to confirm your state liaison to the meeting.

Visit the AMA-SPG Web site for more information, including a list of current liaisons.

3) In American Medical News: Job-hunting may take some searching
A story published Sept. 7 by American Medical News notes that physician jobs are out there but might not be easy to find. More physicians than ever before are seeking employment rather than opening a solo practice, but finding the right job has become more challenging because the usually resilient health sector has not been immune from economic turmoil during this recession, American Medical News reports.

Brought to you by the AMA Women Physicians Congress
p>1) Hearing to update strategies for women’s health research
The Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) is holding a series of four regional scientific workshops and public hearings across the country as part of a process to update its research priorities for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Two hearings took place in St. Louis and San Francisco earlier this year, and a third convened earlier this week in Providence, R.I.

1) AMA-YPS meeting set for this fall
Sign up today to help represent the voice and vision of young physicians across the country at the AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 5-7 in Houston. With health care on the minds of so many patients and physicians, now is a great time to participate in the AMA-YPS.

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. Attendees must register for the meeting by Oct. 25.

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

Learn more about writing a resolution.

2) Be a volunteer judge for student, resident research poster symposium
Young physicians attending the AMA-YPS Interim Assembly Meeting are invited to serve as judges for the AMA Resident and Fellow Section and Medical Student Section (MSS) Research Poster Symposium.

Judging will take place from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Hilton Americas Hotel, which is located next to the George R. Brown Convention Center, where the assembly meeting will be held. A reception will follow, and volunteer judges will receive a small token of appreciation.

Send an e-mail to Katherine Torres-Hertz of the AMA-MSS at katherine.torres-hertz@ama-assn.org if you’d like to volunteer.

3) AMA Foundation seeks everyday heroes in medicine
Recognizing the extraordinary efforts of leaders in the medical community, the AMA Foundation honors those who go beyond the call of duty to improve the health of our nation with the Excellence in Medicine Awards. Presented in association with Pfizer Inc., the awards recognize a select group of physicians and medical students who represent the highest standards of volunteerism, public service and leadership.

Nominations are due Nov. 16. Learn more about how you can nominate a colleague.