News for Academic Physicians

Summaries from AMA-SMS meeting sessions now online

If you were unable to attend this year's AMA Section on Medical Schools Interim Meeting, which took place Nov. 9–10 in Honolulu, view a summary of the various education sessions from the meeting.

Topics included medical student mistreatment from the graduate medical education perspective. Four presenters provided their own viewpoints on the subject, including Maya Babu, MD, a neurological surgery resident at Mayo Clinic.

"In residency education, abuse is in the eye of the beholder, and there are often shades of gray versus black and white," Dr. Babu said. "Also, there are different dynamics for different fields. Resident learning requires some level of stress and challenge to prepare trainees for the unsupervised practice of medicine.

"Being 'put on the spot' by an attending can be seen as threatening or as a learning experience. Handling that stress is good when you're still in a learning situation vs. a practice situation. The question is, when do you respond, and when do you let it go?"

Attendees also heard an introduction to the University of Hawaii at Manoa John A. Burns School of Medicine, and a session about the AMA's work to accelerate change in medical education, one of its three strategic focus areas.

AMA-SMS seeking next generation of leaders

The AMA Section on Medical Schools (SMS) Governing Council is looking to fill several open positions for 2013–2014: chair-elect and three at-large member slots.

The chair-elect serves for one year, succeeds to the office of chair for one year and then becomes immediate past chair for one year. At-large members are elected annually, and no member can serve for more than three one-year terms.

Governing council members are selected by the AMA-SMS Nominating Subcommittee and elected by the section representatives attending the section's June meeting, held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Elected members assume office at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting and serve until the conclusion of the next Annual Meeting.

The AMA-SMS Governing Council serves as the direct communication link between the AMA and the section's representatives and is responsible for the section's programs and activities. The council meets, face-to-face, three times a year—in June during the Annual Meeting and twice in November, during the Association of American Medical Colleges Annual Meeting and during the Interim Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. The council also holds monthly conference calls.

To apply for any of the open AMA-SMS Governing Council seats or for more information, contact Fred Donini-Lenhoff of the AMA via email or at (312) 464-4635. Also, visit the AMA-SMS Web page for more details.

Apply for leadership slots in medical education

AMA members interested in taking on a leadership role in medical education have several opportunities in which to do so.

One opportunity is on one of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Residency Review Committees. There are vacancies on various committees; fill out an online form to apply. Applications are due Feb. 15. Email Evelyn Sherrill of the AMA with questions.

Another opportunity is through service on AMA councils, including the AMA Council on Medical Education. Learn more about the nominations process and how to apply. The AMA is committed to promoting diversity in every facet of organized medicine and encourages recommendation of qualified women physicians, minority physicians and international medical graduates for AMA positions on councils.

If you're not an AMA member, join today.

Next AMA-SMS meeting set for June 14–15

The next AMA Section on Medical Schools (SMS) meeting will take place June 14–15 in Chicago in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates. Watch the AMA-SMS Web page for more information as it becomes available.