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In this Issue:
- Governor's Message
- Early Career Physicians Committee
- Finance Committee
- Health and Public Policy Committee
- Membership Committee
- Planning Committee
- Social Media Committee
- Student, Resident and Fellow Sub Committee
- Physician Wellness
- Mark Your Calendar
- Follow us
Ky B. Stoltzfus, MD, FACP, ACP Governor
Governor's Message
Dear Colleagues,
Our Kansas Chapter continues to be active in multiple areas and I'm very proud of everything we're doing. Our committee chairs have outlined many of these activities in their articles, but I'd just like to highlight a few. We have a successful mentorship program that's off the ground, wellness activities are ongoing and accessible in a virtual format, advocacy efforts are returning to in-person events, and we continue to be flexible with our annual meeting depending on the status of the pandemic.
We had a successful chapter meeting in October last year. I think we all had hoped that we might meet in person again, but in the end a virtual event kept our membership safe while still providing great educational opportunities. I'm grateful for the work of Dr. Branden Comfort, Denise Lantz, and the Planning Committee for their outstanding work. Dr. Kenna Fischman will be the chair for our 2022 meeting.
Kansas ACP continues to partner with our national organization on multiple programs. I'd like to highlight the I Raise the Rates program that gives practical guidance to members on how to raise influenza vaccination rates. We'll be sending information about this throughout the year. And you have the opportunity to receive additional support for your practice if you'd like. Please contact Denise Lantz or I for more information.
I'm looking forward to resumption of our Kansas Advocacy Day in January. I'd love to have as many members as possible join us for that. There is also the opportunity to participate in national advocacy efforts at the ACP Leadership Day, which will be in Washington, DC from May 17-18, 2022. Please contact myself or Dr. Quick, the Chair of our Health & Public Policy Committee, if you're interested.
Lastly, the ACP annual Internal Medicine Meeting will be held in Chicago, IL from April 28-30, 2022. We'll have a Kansas Chapter reception and I hope to connect with as many of your as possible there.
I hope your winter holidays have been wonderful. Stay safe and healthy as you continue the good work of caring for patients.
Best wishes!
Ky Stoltzfus, MD, FACP
Governor, Kansas ACP
Early Career Physicians Committee
Greetings from the Early Career Physicians Committee!
The Early Career Physician mentor program is underway! We would like to extend a special thanks to the participants. We are hopeful that the program will assist Early Career Physicians as they embark on new career paths. If you were unable to participate in the program this academic year, please consider joining in the future.
This spring, we will be sponsoring an interactive junior faculty workshop and hope that interested members can attend. Dr. Chad Stickrath, Associate Professor at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, will be presenting “Seeing the Forest and the Trees: Plotting Your Purpose and Course as Junior Faculty.” Please mark your calendars for March 8, 2022! The event will take place virtually from 6:00-7:30 pm, and a take home charcuterie board will be provided the day of the event. To reserve your spot now, please sign up via this link. Additional details will be provided soon.
Kimberly Richardson, MD, FACP
Early Career Physicians Chair
Finance Committee
The chapter remains financially solid. The committee is transitioning our investment funds to Core First for management.
Angela M. Meyer, MD, FACP
Finance Committee Chair
Health and Public Policy Committee
Our annual KS ACP Advocacy Day is approaching on January 25th in Topeka! This event is hosted by the Kansas Medical Society with attendance from multiple specialties. It will offer a chance to meet with fellow ACP members, legislative leaders, and to hear from Kansas Medical Society leadership about the upcoming legislative session. Our Kansas ACP chapter will be meeting from 8-9am prior to the start of the Advocacy Day event. To register, visit www.kmsonline.org/AdvocacyDay.
ACP continues to provide a unified voice for our members through federal advocacy efforts that include COVID-19, access to care, prescription drug costs, and addressing health disparities. Please save the date for the College's annual Advocacy Day (called Leadership Day) on May 17-18, 2022 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Washington, DC. ACP members will receive two days of in-depth briefings on the College's legislative priorities and an opportunity to meet with elected officials. For more information on current ACP priorities, visit ACP's advocacy website.
Sincerely,
Benjamin Quick, MD, MPH
Health & Public Policy Chair
Membership Committee
The membership committee met in September and will plan on meeting in early 2022. Membership and Early Career Physicians committees will address the residents in Kansas City in February to discuss benefits of membership after residency. We will continue to engage physicians for both membership and fellowship. As always, feel free to contact me with suggestions.
Scott Smiley, MD, FACP
Membership Committee Chair
Planning Committee
Congratulations to the following poster winners from our chapter abstract competition:
Student winner: Grace Hagan – “Emphasis on Secondary Stroke Prevention in Unilateral Opercular Lesions”
Overall resident winner: Khalil Choucair, MD – “The Impact of Liquid Biopsy Testing on Treatment Selection and Survival in Patient with Advanced Solid Tumors”
ID resident winner: Nora Strong, MD – “An Outbreak of Melioidosis”
Branden Comfort, MD, FACP
2021 Planning Committee Chair
Social Media Committee
I am the new social media chair for KsACP. I am a Primary Care Internist in Manhattan, KS.
Kenna Fischman, MD
Social Media Chair
Student, Resident and Fellow Subcommittee
In 2021, 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 year including a HCA Midwest Health Kansas resident representative and a fellow-in-training from the University of Kansas representative. This was the third consecutive year of the Kansas ACP Resident Physician and Medical Student Mentorship Program. It is a great opportunity for residents to become mentors to students and increase student interest in Internal Medicine. We had many residents and medical students from throughout Kansas present posters at the Kansas ACP virtual conference last fall. The committee hosted a social event in Kansas City to help foster connections between medical student and residents and we hope to have another event in the spring in Wichita. The committee is starting a new program this year called “30 Minutes with a Fellow-In-Training” to help provide medical students and residents insight into fellowship training in internal medicine specialties. These sessions will start this spring. 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
KsACP Resident Representative
Physician Wellness
At our Kansas ACP scientific meeting in October Dr. Gerard Brungardt gave a reflective talk about physician wellness. One of the components of wellness he emphasized was the importance of gratitude in our lives. During the turbulence of holidays, it can be easy to forget the importance of showing our appreciation to others. Taking the time to share our gratitude to those mentors, colleagues, family, or friends that have made impacts on our lives and careers sustains us through these challenging times. It buoys that person's sails when they know they have made a difference to someone. There has been no part of this pandemic our medical teams have done alone, why would we isolate ourselves now? Maya Angelou said, “At the end of the day, people won't remember what you said or did. They will remember how you made them feel.” Gifting words of gratitude during the holidays may be one of the most meaningful gifts someone in your life receives this holiday season.
As always, your KS Well Being team encourages you to stay connected to your ACP chapter as they continue to work to support you and provide resources you need during these challenging times. One new feature is the ACP I.M Emotional Support Video Series – a series of short videos from a variety of internists on a several topics regarding care for yourself and others that we think are incredibly helpful.
Please don't hesitate to reach out for any help you may need. We encourage you to stay connected to your ACP colleagues as well –we are stronger together.
Segen E. Smith Chase, MD, FACP
Wellness Champion
Mark Your Calendar:
January 25, 2022 – Advocacy Day, Topeka
April 28-30, 2022 – Internal Medicine 2022, Chicago, IL
May 17-18, 2022 – Leadership Day 2022, Washington, DC
October 27-28, 2022 – Kansas Chapter Scientific Meeting, Marriott Overland Park, Overland Park
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Twitter: @acpkansas
Facebook: ACP-Kansas Chapter
Instagram: Kansasacp