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In this Issue:
- Governor's Message
- Finance Committee
- Kansas ACP Scientific Meeting Planning Committee
- Health and Public Policy Committee
- Membership Committee
- ACP Medical Students, Residents and Fellows-in-Training Committee
- Chapter Members In the Spotlight
- Mark Your Calendar
Rebecca W. Opole, MD, FACP, ACP Governor
Governor's Message
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your ACP Governor. My name is Dr. Rebecca Opole, and I am currently an Associate Professor of Medicine and an Assistant Dean for student affairs at the University of Kansas Health System. I have been a Member of ACP since 2004 and involved in various chapter activities over the years.
The mission of ACP is to enhance the quality of healthcare by fostering excellence in the practice of Medicine. The vision is global recognition as a leader in promoting quality patient care, advocacy and education. To that end, The ACP has defined its strategic priorities for the next 3 years and are as follows:
- Address Changing Dynamics of the IM Workforce
- Enhance ACP's Continuous Professional Learning Resources
- Advance Chapter Alignment and Sustainability
- Membership and Engagement Enhancements
More can be found on ACP 2024-2027 Strategic Priorities here.
Our chapter has a robust committee with great ideas, and I look forward to the work we will do. I hope you will all join us in in advocacy and at our upcoming Chapter Meeting in Excelsior Springs, Missouri in October 9-11.
Rebecca Opole, MD FACP
Governor, ACP Kansas Chapter
Finance Committee
The board approved the annual budget in June 2024. We have one year of operating reserves in long-term investments and our daily accounts continue to have more than sufficient funds to cover expenses. The chapter remains fiscally responsible while trying to expand value to our members.
Brendan Kelly, MD
Finance Committee Chair
Kansas ACP Scientific Meeting Planning Committee
We are all set for our annual Scientific Meeting and Hospitalist Day, Oct 9-11, 2024 at The Elms Resort in Excelsior Springs, MO. Join us as we collaborate with the Missouri Chapter to bring you meaningful topics in learning focused formats. We are excited to offer POCUS training as well as a several clinical skills workshops.
Enjoy wellness sessions on meditation to calm the mind or share stories in the Story Slam. There is something for everyone, and I hope to see you there!
Sidra Raza, MD, FACP
Chair, Program Committee
Health and Public Policy Committee
Have you ever felt like our healthcare system is broken? Have you seen patients struggle to afford their medications or get them approved? Have administrative burdens got in the way of patient care? If so, advocacy is for you! Most of us are not health policy experts, however, all of us can tell a personal story about how you or your patients have been affected by a healthcare system that needs change.
Time is often a cited barrier to getting involved but doesn't have to be. If you enroll in the Advocates for Internal Medicine Network (AIMn), ACP will email legislative issues as they come up and provide templated emails to send directly to legislators. If you have a personal story to add, even better. It takes less than a minute to do and every email counts.
For those seeking more involvement, I encourage you to consider attending one of our in-person advocacy days. Our State Advocacy Day will be on January 29, 2024, in Topeka. This event is hosted by the Kansas Medical Society with attendance from multiple specialties, including ACP. ACP Leadership Day, our national advocacy event, will be held May 28-29, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Quick, MD, FACP
Health & Public Policy Chair
Membership Committee
The membership committee has been actively involved in continued efforts to promote and increase membership in the Kansas ACP chapter. We have recently embarked on a national recruitment challenge to increase membership for trainees and recent graduates. We additionally continue to engage colleagues across the state to promote the benefits of ACP membership and have seen increased membership and engagement with ACP as a result of our efforts.
Tiffany Schwasinger-Schmidt, MD, PhD, FACP
Membership Committee Chair
ACP Medical Students, Residents and Fellows-in-Training Committee
In 2024, the Student, Resident, and Fellows-In-Training Committee has been working on increasing opportunities for learners to grow in their careers through ACP. We welcomed new members to our committee this summer for the 2024-2025 academic year and they have been hard at work on engaging students and residents in ACP. The Kansas ACP Resident Physician and Medical Student Mentorship Program is gearing up for its 6th consecutive year. It is a great opportunity for residents to become mentors to students and increase student interest in Internal Medicine. We are starting a new Kansas ACP Fellow-in-Training and Resident Physician Mentorship Program this year, as well. We are excited for the opportunity to partner with fellowship programs in Kansas City and Wichita. The committee continues to work on additional opportunities like “30 Minutes with an ACP Member” program to help provide medical students and resident insight into fellowship training and careers in internal medicine specialties. This year, Dr. Rebecca Opole guided us through the advantages of being an ACP outpatient internal medicine physician. These sessions will continue this fall with other specialties. Last year, the committee hosted an outstanding workshop series on research abstracts, posters and presentations lead by Dr. Samuel Ofei-Dodoo. We are continuing to work on further events to encourage ACP membership as students transition to residents and as residents and fellows transition to early career physicians.
Nikki Miller, MD
Resident Representative
Chapter Members In the Spotlight
Please take a moment to read this month's I.M. Matters article from former Kanas Governor and current ACP President, Dr. Issac O. Opole, A shingle or a billboard? Changes in physician practices
Mark Your Calendar
Scientific Meeting & Hospitalist Day
The 2024 Kansas and Missouri Chapters Annual Scientific Meeting & Hospitalist Day will be held at The Elms Resort in Excelsior Springs, Missouri. Hospitalist Day is Wednesday, October 9, followed by the Annual Scientific Meeting Thursday, October 10 - Friday, October 11, 2024.
Registration is now open:
Hospitalist Day Only | Annual Meeting Only | Hospitalist Day & Annual Meeting Bundle
ACP Internal Medicine Meeting 2025 | New Orleans, LA
Join the ACP and your colleagues in New Orleans, LA, April 3-5, 2025, at the annual marquee educational event for internal medicine physicians and subspecialists around the globe. Together we will share in three days of unparalleled professional revitalization and make invaluable connections with our internal medicine community. Register here for potential early bird savings!