FP Report -- June 1999
Women, minorities, new physicians meet
'We've changed the face of leadership in the AAFP'
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Opening the 10th annual National Conference of Women, Minority and New Physicians, convener Maggie Blackburn, M.D., proclaimed, "We've changed the face of leadership in the AAFP."
"We've had rising numbers of women, minority and new physicians on AAFP commissions and committees," says Maggie Blackburn, M.D., convener of NCWMNP.The data back her up.
Two current AAFP directors honed their leadership skills at NCWMNP, a training ground where the three constituencies network, run for office and propose AAFP policies.
"Since we first held this conference in 1990, many participants have gone on to be presidents of their local and state academies," said Blackburn, of Stamford, N.Y.
The AAFP Board, commissions and committees -- with a total of 192 positions -- now include 61 women, 26 minority physicians and 19 new physicians.
At NCWMNP's urging, the AAFP Congress of Delegates for seven years has seated delegates representing the three constituencies. In addition, four of 10 candidates for AAFP national offices this year are veterans of NCWMNP.
Some 112 registrants -- most of them delegates from chapters -- attended the April 29-May 1 meeting here.
Recalling the April 20 high school massacre in Littleton, Colo., and assaults on abortion providers, registrants debated nine resolutions related to guns and violence.
"The more difficult you make access to guns and firearms, the more difficult it is for someone to carry out violence," said Doris Page, M.D, of Tacoma, Wash.
"The time is now for us to stand up and protect our patients and children from firearms," said Christopher Gaynor, M.D., of Seattle.
But James Schouten, M.D., of Payson, Ariz., cautioned, "Unlike tobacco, there are legitimate uses for guns."
Conference delegates asked the AAFP to oppose private ownership of assault weapons and support legislation to mandate trigger locks, restrict all gun sales and raise the minimum age for gun licensing from 18 to 21.
The delegates debated a wide range of topics, including restrictive drug formularies. "If a managed care organization chooses not to pay for a procedure or a medication, the patient doesn't have any choice. That to me is practicing medicine, any way you look at it," said Arlene Brown, M.D., of Ruidoso, N.M. The delegates objected to the rationing of care imposed by drug formularies.
Wanting to give a voice to international medical graduates, the delegates asked the Academy to add an IMG caucus to NCWMNP and establish seats for IMG delegates at the AAFP Congress. "There are special problems for IMGs," said Ruby Amaku Ibekwe, M.D., of Baker, La. "Some insurance companies will not allow them. Some hospitals discriminate against IMGs."
The delegates also asked the AAFP Board of Directors to place new physicians -- those in practice seven or fewer years -- on AAFP commissions and committees. "We've had a three-year struggle to try to get a new physician on the Board of Directors," said Glenn Loomis, M.D., of Andrews Air Force Base, Md. "Last year, in going down in flames with our resolution at the AAFP Congress, we were told by Board members and state delegates to try instead to get new physicians on the commissions and committees."
In all, the delegates sent 17 resolutions to the AAFP Congress and 41 to the Board. The Congress meets Sept. 14-16 in Orlando, Fla., to consider items including Board reports and resolutions from AAFP constituent chapters, NCWMNP, and the National Conference of Family Practice Residents and Medical Students.
FP Report is published by the AAFP News Department. Copyright © 1999 by American Academy of Family Physicians.
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