Letter from the President
As I assume the presidency of the American College of Correctional Physicians - (ACCP), I want to thank all of you who have been loyal members. I intend to continue the goal of Promoting & Protecting the Interests of Correctional Physicians.
As Richelle E Goodrich said: “There is strength in numbers…” She added: “yes but even more so in collective good will. For those endeavors are supported by mighty forces Unseen.” [1] One of my goals is to continue in the tradition of past presidents and raise our membership numbers. We presently are 450 members strong. Working with our membership committee I would like to double those numbers. Yes, it is ambitious, and it will take a lot of effort, but we can do it with some innovative ideas and commitment.
Along with increasing or our membership we must also increase the numbers of us who are also members of the American Medical Association (AMA). We plan to continue the process to obtain a seat in the AMA House of Delegates: the governing body that develops resolutions that the AMA supports. To obtain a seat, our organization must have 100 AMA members and 20% of its physician membership be members of the AMA. This is how and where we can show our value as a significant force in the field of correctional medical care and to show who and what we are along with the quality of our physicians, who have one of the most challenging tasks in medicine. We can effect change. Health Equity is a subject the AMA has a strong position on.
CorrDocs is the ACCP’s quarterly publication. It highlights what we do and have done as an organization. In each issue I will provide updates, raise thought provoking questions, publish articles relevant to correctional health and ask for your input. Each CorrDocs issue will include the goals I would like to accomplish during my tenure.
Let us look at the upcoming years as a challenge to make correctional medicine an area that others can look at, emulate, and respect. We plan to be more visible on our social media pages to ensure that the ACCP’s message about correctional health care is promulgated. We can make the ACCP the leader and expert organization that others look to for the latest knowledge in correctional health care.
And to our Board: You are the true leaders of the ACCP. I look forward to working closely with all of you who have been selected to guide the ACCP into the future. Your wish is my command. I hope to be challenged and guided by you. I know that you will help develop the innovative ideas that will make the ACCP the premier correctional physician organization and lead the path of Correctional Health Care.
Thank you!
[1] Richelle E. Goodrich, Smile Away Quotes, Verse and Grumblings for Every Day of the Year