New Leadership Award for Medical Students, Residents, and Fellows FREE

The American Medical Association (AMA) Foundation has initiated a new award that recognizes the leadership accomplishments of medical students, residents, and fellows. One of the objectives of the AMA Foundation Leadership Award program will be to encourage the country's brightest and most energetic medical students, residents, and fellows to continue to develop their leadership skills within organized medicine. As part of the award, 25 medical students and 25 residents or fellows will receive travel, accommodations, and registration for the AMA National Leadership Development Conference on March 25-28, 2000, at the Fontainebleau Hilton Hotel in Miami, Fla.

Award recipients will be selected on the basis of their having demonstrated strong nonclinical leadership in medical arenas, civic organizations, and community service organizations. Applicants should also have an interest in further developing their leadership skills within organized medicine. Applicants must obtain approval to attend the leadership conference from their residency program director or medical school dean. The application must include descriptions of the applicant's leadership experience and a letter of recommendation from someone who has observed the applicant's leadership work.

Applications for the AMA Foundation Leadership Award must be postmarked by December 27, 1999. Interested medical students and residents or fellows can obtain application materials and additional information on the AMA's Web site at http://www.ama-assn.org/rfs or by calling the AMA Department of Resident and Fellow Services at (312) 464-4751.

The importance of health care in society, combined with the changes occurring throughout health care and the health system, underscores the need for informed leaders. The medical leaders of the future are medical students and residents, and it is critical that they are aware of the transitions that will affect their careers.

The 2000 National Leadership Development Conference, entitled "Is it Good Medicine? A Call to Lead; A Challenge to Serve," provides a forum for discussing the political, economic, and social environment surrounding medicine and the characteristics required of an effective medical leader. The AMA sponsors this annual conference to bring together hundreds of national leaders from government, organized medicine, and health-related organizations.

The scheduled keynote speaker is Tom Peters, PhD, author of In Search of Excellence. The conference will also offer a full-day program sponsored by the AMA and Intel Corporation entitled "The Internet Health Road Show." This program teaches physicians about the latest Internet technologies and introduces them to Web sites that can be useful to their practices and to their patients. In addition, the conference will include breakout sessions on a variety of topics such as writing speeches, giving media interviews, building effective teams, managing medical practices, understanding the role of medical associations, and building physician collegiality. Additional breakout sessions will be offered for medical students and residents.

Residents, fellows, and medical students can register for the National Leadership Development Conference for a discounted fee of $75. An online registration form and additional information is available at http://www.ama-assn.org/about/wemeet.htm or by calling the AMA at (800) 262-3211.