The ballots for the current Governors-elect election have been mailed. The voting membership (Masters, Fellows, Members, and Resident/Fellow Members with an elect date of 9/1/2018 or earlier) can vote online or mail-in ballot.
You will need your mailed ballot or election email containing your ACP Member Number and Election Passcode in order to vote. Below are the bios and statements of the candidates running in this election. Online voting begins on October 9, 2020 and will end on November 13, 2020 at 11:59 PM EDT. Please be sure to vote!
For replacement ballots and election customer service, e-mail support@directvote.net or call toll-free 1-866-909-3549, Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM Central. For general information, you may email Julie Sinkoff, Coordinator, Board of Governor Relations, or call 215-351-2699.
Ankush K. Bansal, MD, FACP
Medical School Education: Creighton University
Post-Doctoral Training: Christiana Care Health System/Jefferson Medical College
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine; Lifestyle Medicine
Present Employment Position: Hospitalist Telemedicine Physician (Self-Employed & Cleveland Clinic)
ACP Chapter and Leadership Activities:
Treasurer since 2015; Delegate, Florida Medical Association (FMA) since 2014; Chair, Delegation, FMA 2017 & 2018; Chair, Ethics & Professionalism Committee 2017; Representative, Hospitalist Medicine 2012-2019; Chair, Council of Early Career Physicians 2014-2016; Region C Representative, Governor’s Advisory Council 2012-2015; Member, Insurance/Industry Committee 2013-2019; Member, Legislative Committee 2013-2019; Member, Education Committee 2014-2018; Member, Strategic Planning Committee 2014-2018; Member, Awards Committee 2015 & 2017; Member, Scientific Program Committee 2016-2018; Judge, Doctor’s Dilemma 2015-2019; Poster Judge since 2012; Presentations/Faculty, Scientific Meetings 2013-2018
ACP National Activities:
Fellowship 2011; LEAD Certification 2012; Member, Awards Committee 2020; Board of Directors, PAC since 2018; Co-Author, Telemedicine: A Practical Guide for Incorporation into your Practice 2019-2020; Reviewer, 15 Manuscripts, Annals of Internal Medicine since 2015; Presentation/Faculty, Internal Medicine Meeting 2016
Other Appointments/Activities:
President, Disaster Accountability Project; Board of Directors, Florida Chapter, Physicians for Social Responsibility; Associate Member Representative to General Assembly, World Medical Association; Volunteer Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Florida International University College of Medicine; PAC Board & Primary Care Representative to Board of Governors, FMA; Co-Chair & Co-Founder, Florida Clinicians for Climate Action; Member, Advocacy Committee, American College of Preventative Medicine; Past Member, Steering Committee, AMA Ambassadors; Past Member, Governance Committee, American Board of Internal Medicine
Areas of Professional Interest and Expertise:
Lifestyle & Preventive Medicine; Climate Change & Health; Healthcare Accessibility, Affordability, & Literacy
Candidate Statement:
I, Ankush Bansal, seek to be your next Florida Chapter Governor. I have served this chapter in leadership, teaching, faculty, and committee membership for over 7 years. I have served the national ACP in curriculum development, meeting faculty, committee membership, and PAC Board membership. I also serve in leadership at other medical and non-profit organizations. I am involved in the preventive, lifestyle, and health coaching communities – all of which are directly in line with the tenets of Internal Medicine. My vision for our chapter is to be a voice for Internal Medicine at the state and national levels, increased advocacy for our patients in terms of access, equity, and prevention, and to expanding the chapter’s activities to be self-standing for Internal Medicine values. I will bring that commitment, experience, and vision to the Florida Chapter in both advocacy and education as your next Governor.
Naresh H. Pathak, MD, FACP
Medical School Education: Universidad Tecnologia De Santiago (UTESA) School of Medicine
Post-Doctoral Training: Jersey Shore University Medical Center, NJ
Board Certifications: Internal Medicine; Hospice & Palliative Medicine
Present Employment Position: Self Employed
ACP Chapter and Leadership Activities:
Chair, Medical Economic Regulatory Committee; Member, Governor's Advisory Council; Member, Executive Committee; Member, Bylaws Committee; Member, Education Committee; Regular Presenter, Annual Scientific Meetings; Former Key Note Speaker, Humanism in Medicine Lecture Series; Former Program Chair, Scientific Meeting; Outstanding Service Award; Community-Based Teacher Award; Internist of the Year Award; Key Contact Award for Advocacy; Volunteerism Award; Delegate, Florida Medical Association, Many Years
ACP National Activities:
Fellowship 1998
Other Appointments/Activities:
Fellow, American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Past 10 Years
Areas of Professional Interest and Expertise:
End of Life Care; Medical Missions (for the past 30 years) & Teaching "barefoot" doctoring; Advocacy for equality, quality, and affordability of care for patients; Advocacy for Physicians to be able to deliver hassle-free compassionate care to their patients
Candidate Statement:
“To find oneself, one must lose oneself in the service of others. “ ….. Gandhi
I joined ACP in the 1980s. I become a “Fellow” in the 1990s. I continued to serve in Governor’s Advisory Council, Medical Economic Regulatory Committee, Education Committee, Bylaws Committee, as a Delegate to FMA. I began giving lectures at the scientific meetings of ACP. Being a practicing Internist, I understand the challenges we and our patients face in everyday life and where the change needs to be advocated for. As we balance Insurance issues, Medico-legal issues, Patient safety issues, Cost-effectiveness issues, and self-education issues, we need guidance and direction to allow us to do what we do best – patient care. Therefore, after contributing my services for the past 30 years to Florida Chapter ACP, I am asked to be “The Servant-Leader”. It would be an honor and a privilege to serve as The Governor of Florida Chapter of the American College of Physicians.