Young Physician Section

Last Thursday, January 29th, 2009, almost 200 years since our MSDC was chartered by the US Congress in 1819, six young DC physicians, of diverse specialties, Doctors Hind Benjelloun, Kayla Pope, Adair Parr, Christian Shults, Janine Van Lancker, and Elisabeth Wells met with three former MSDC Presidents, Doctors Daniel Ein, Victor Freeman and Eliot Sorel to explore the notion of reviving the MSDC Young Physicians' Section.   MSDC EVP, Ed Shanbacker and staff member Barbara Allen hosted the energetic group at MSDC offices,  a light fare and delicious lemonade was served. Dr. Peter Lavine, current MSDC President also greeted the group in the closing minutes of the meeting.   After brief introductions and an overview of MSDC's history, the high energy, motivated group plunged into the core of the agenda,  identified and discussed the following start up priorities for a revived MSDC YPS:

• communications-listserve ASAP
• policy, legislative advocacy
• career & leadership guidance/mentoring
• financing of YPS activities
• social & professional networking
• annual social gathering of all R&F and Young Practicing Physicians

• fostering MSDC, AMA collaboratives
  The upcoming AMA Naational Advocacy Day in Washington this March, an educational program on health policy in May and a possible gathering of all DC Residents and Fellows later this year were discussed. The group, with assistance from MSDC, DC Board of Medicine and the AMA Residents & Fellows Section will develop a data base on all young physicians in DC and invite all those interested to join in the revival of the MSDC YPS and set an action/work plan shortly thereafter.    We are heartened by our younger colleagues' enthusiasm, brilliant ideas, commitment and high energy. We are glad to assist and be at their service in any and all possible ways to facilitate the reestablishment of the MSDC Young Physicians' Section, reinvigorating MSDC with their ideas, their projects, across specialties of benefit to them, to our patients, the wider professional and DC community and the house of medicine.   With best wishes and readiness to assist,  
• Eliot Sorel, M.D., D.L.F.A.P.A. Former MSDC President & Board Chairman  2002-2004"