AMA-RFS Interim Meeting FREE

The 23rd Interim Meeting of the American Medical Association-Resident and Fellow Section (AMA-RFS) Assembly will be held December 2-4 at the San Diego Marriott, San Diego, Calif. Residents and fellows from across the country will meet to create policy on working conditions, educational funding, public health, and other topics relevant to their training. The AMA-RFS is also planning an educational session on the TV portrayal of physicians, which will be presented by writers from the television series ER.

AMA-RFS Assembly delegates must be AMA members in an accredited residency program or fellowship. Delegates represent state and medical specialty societies or the uniformed services.

Materials will be sent to state medical societies and to residents who have attended a meeting in the past year. Attendees can register by mail, fax, or online through the AMA-RFS Web page at the address listed below. The preregistration deadline is October 22. Preregistered attendees will be mailed a copy of the AMA-RFS Meeting Handbook prior to the meeting but those who register after October 22 must pick up handbooks at the meeting.

Policies considered at the meeting are derived from resolutions submitted by individual delegates or delegations and from reports developed by the AMA-RFS Governing Council. Resident delegations should begin researching the resolution immediately since well-researched and well-written resolutions are more likely to be adopted. All resolutions must specify whether the AMA or AMA-RFS has current policy related to the resolution. Resolutions must be received by AMA-RFS staff through mail, fax, or e-mail no later than October 22. Residents are encouraged to contact their medical societies or AMA-RFS staff with questions.

On Friday, December 3, the Assembly will get general information about the meeting events. All resolutions and reports under consideration are referred to 1 of 2 reference committees, and attendees will be able to testify on the resolutions in open hearings. Following the hearings, the committees will develop recommendations on whether to adopt or refer an item of business to the Governing Council. The committee's recommendations are based on testimony presented in the hearings and background information provided to the committees. Attendees can participate in educational sessions and state and specialty caucuses.

On Saturday, June 19, the Assembly will reconvene to vote on the recommendations of the reference committees. Resolutions that are adopted may become internal policy or may be submitted to the AMA House of Delegates for further consideration. Residents are encouraged to attend the House of Delegates Interim Meeting, December 5-8, to provide testimony in reference committees and monitor debate on resident issues being considered by the House.

Delegates at the AMA-RFS Interim Meeting will elect a resident to the position of 1999-2000 Governing Council chair. In addition, reference and credentials committees and House of Delegates testimony coordinators will be appointed prior to the Interim Meeting.

Contact the AMA Department of Resident and Fellow Services at (312) 464-4751, fax (312) 464-5845, or the Web site at http://www.ama-assn.org/rfs, or send e-mail to natalie_goolsby-eberhart@ama-assn.org.