News for Young Physicians

Young physicians shape AMA policy at assembly meeting

Young physicians from across the country met with colleagues to discuss priority issues and help shape AMA policy June 14–16 during this year's AMA Young Physicians Section (YPS) Annual Assembly Meeting.

The assembly adopted a resolution on changing the location of the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates and approved several reports, including updates to the AMA-YPS Internal Operating Procedures. The section also took positions on every item of business submitted to the AMA House of Delegates. Active positions were taken on several items, directing the section's delegate and alternate delegate to speak to those items during Sunday's AMA House of Delegates reference committees.

The AMA-YPS C. Clayton Griffin, MD, Memorial Luncheon featured AMA Board Chair-elect Steven J. Stack, MD, who delivered a presentation called "U.S. health care: Present realities and future possibilities."

The assembly also held elections for the AMA-YPS Governing Council. Stephen V. Sherick, MD, was named chair-elect, and Steven L. Chen, MD, was elected delegate.

Participate in CME activities at your convenience through AMA's online offerings

Physician demand for online continuing medical education (CME) training is high, with 84.1 percent of doctors saying in a recent survey that they would prefer attending CME events virtually. Only 6.4 percent of those surveyed, however, said they actually participate in virtual training.

That's a significant gap—and the AMA is well positioned to bridge it by providing a variety of online CME courses. AMA-sponsored activities offer AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ and are searchable by topic or format, making it easy for physicians to meet their professional learning needs at their convenience.

Among the many offerings is a series of three tutorials that outline best practices for using health information technology. Developed by the AMA and TransforMED, a nonprofit subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians, these short educational videos cover ePrescribing, pre-visit planning and point-of-care documentation.

The AMA also offers several activities that focus on improving health outcomes through prevention and wellness. The newest is a Performance Improvement CME activity that shows physicians how to calculate and document patients' body mass index as a routine part of office visits. The activity consists of three stages—A, B and C—and is designed to be an important component of a physician's efforts to treat and prevent obesity.

"Promoting Healthy Families" helps physicians talk about healthy behaviors with their adult patients in a way that may lead to positive changes for the whole family. And the "Physician's Guide to Personal Health" activity, part of the AMA Healthier Life Steps® program, aims to help physicians focus on their own health.

Physicians also can take advantage of hundreds of CME activities available through The JAMA Network.