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Symposium draws 400 to Baltimore
AAMA's 15th Annual Symposium, Medical Acupuncture in the 21st Century: Balancing the Art and Science of Healing, was enjoyed by 400 attendees in Baltimore, thanks to the hard work of Chair Roberto Jodorkovsky, MD, DABMA, an excellent Faculty, Pre-Symposium instructors, exhibitors and contributions from all the members who attended.
NEW LEADERSHIP
New officers were elected in Baltimore: President Nader E. Soliman, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, Vice President Michael W. Coomes, MD (re-elected as director and elected to one-year term as vice president), Treasurer Wendy E. Page-Echols, DO, and Secretary Hiroshi Nakazawa, MD, DABMA, FAAMA (re-elected). Marshall H. Sager, DO, DABMA, FAAMA, was thanked for all his hard work during his term as president and now will continue to serve on the Board as immediate past president. Directors include Drs. Kathleen E. Bishop, Steven E. Braverman, Gene G. Hong (re-elected), Susan G. Kaplan, Yuan-Chi Lin (newly elected), Glenn S. Rothfeld and William D. Rutenberg (re-elected). See masthead on page 3 for individual credentials.
As he stepped down from the Board, Bryan L. Frank, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, also was thanked for his decade of service to the Academy as president, a director and in many other capacities.
EXCELLENT FACULTY
Faculty members, who offered outstanding presentations, included keynote speaker Brian Berman, MD, who reviewed and discussed the published science of acupuncture; international guests Prof. Walter Zieglgansberger on the major scientific research on acupuncture physiology, and Walburg Maric-Oehler, MD, on exciting TCM approaches, as well as Drs. Cynthia Gokavi, Brian Bouch, Ravinder Mamtani, Michael Arnold, Joseph Helms, Bryan Frank, Charles Moss, Lowell Kobrin, Angelica Fargas-Babjak, Alejandro Elorriaga-Claraco, Stephen Taylor, Zang-Hee Cho and John Reed.
Tapan K. Chaudhuri, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, who served as vice chair of the 15th annual Symposium, organized the four Pre-Symposium workshops in Baltimore. Faculty included Drs. Mamtani and Fargas-Babjak with Introduction to Medical Acupuncture; Dr. Maric-Oehler with Psychosomatic Dysfunctions Based on the 5 Phases in Chinese Medicine: A Phenomenological Approach; Dr. Kobrin with Koryo Hand Therapy, and Dr. Elorriaga-Clarico with Contemporary Acupuncture for the Treatment of Common Musculoskeletal Problems: A Functional Integrated Model.
COMMENTS BY SYMPOSIUM CHAIR
"The Symposium was well attended, and many attendees seemed extremely pleased with the well-balanced and diverse content of the talks," noted Dr. Jodorkovsky. "The speakers were, without exception, outstanding. The variety of lectures appeared to please everybody. The cutting edge plenaries regarding basic science and clinical research of medical acupuncture were very well received, and their delivery by prominent international and national speakers was balanced, articulate and invigorating."
The Symposium chair added that the scientific content of the plenaries was harmoniously blended with clinical topic themes, also delivered by well-respected teachers and clinicians. The afternoon workshops generated a lot of energy and enthusiasm.
"The variety of afternoon workshops, ranging from pain issues to distinct non-painful medical conditions, seemed to have satisfied most," Dr. Jodorkovsky noted. "The section on presentation of papers by members, the first time done at Symposium, generated interest and motivation to initiate research projects at the office level. The flow of morning lectures impressed many as smooth and harmonious. Most attendees also praised hotel facilities, and the Saturday night party was well-organized, tasteful and friendly, as well."
Photos from the 15th annual Symposium have been posted at www.medicalacupuncture.org (click on AAMA Newsletter).
POSTER WINNERS
There were 20 abstracts accepted for Poster presentations. Submissions were received from throughout North America and abroad. Notably, one of those selected for presentation was from Japan and another was from Korea. In the Poster competition of research and interesting cases, first-place $300 went to Sang-Kwan Moon, OMD, for "The Effect of LI14-LI11 Electro-Acupuncture on Cerebral Blood Flow in Ischemic Stroke Patients using SPECT." Second-place $200 went to Anna C. Kelly, MD, DABMA, for "Treatment of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy in 3 Pediatric Patients using 7 External Dragons and Devils Acupuncture." Third-place $100 went to Yuan-Chi Lin, MD, MPH, for "Acupuncture for the Treatment of Persistent Hiccups." Honorable Mention went to Tony V. Lu, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, for "Treatment of Aplastic Anemia with Acupuncture: A Case Report."
For MARF Research contest award winners, see article in this issue.
Dr. Jodorkovsky has agreed to be program chair for next year's 16th Annual Symposium. Acompanied by the Medical Acupuncture Review Course, Pre-Symposium and Board Certification Exam, the event will be in Chicago in April 2004 (see calendar on page 8).
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AAMA website redesigned
Under the direction of Robert Schulman, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, the Academy's website has undergone a redesign. New features have been implemented to make the site more user-friendly and convenient. Check out the flexibility and ease of navigation at www.medicalacupuncture.org.
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New president thanks past leaders, looks to members for involvement
By Nader E. Soliman, MD, DABMA, FAAMA
PRESIDENT, AAMA
On behalf of AAMA and all members, I extend my sincerest thanks and appreciation to outgoing president Marshall H. Sager, DO, DABMA, FAAMA, for many years of outstanding service. Dr. Sager has served the Academy in many different capacities, including serving as a president for the past two years. He has contributed so much of his time and effort to serve AAMA's best interests.
I am also thankful to our membership for entrusting me with being the next president. I am truly proud to serve such a wonderful group of physicians who took upon themselves to serve humanity in the best possible way they could.
Over the years, and since the founding of AAMA, many objectives have been achieved. However, more goals are yet to be reached and many challenges still lie ahead. As I pledge to serve the Academy's cause, I look forward to working with all of you. Your input, suggestions and volunteerism are essential to achieve our goals.
The recent 15th annual Symposium, Medical Acupuncture in the 21st Century: Balancing the Art and Science of Healing, featured a number of outstanding national and international speakers (see list in article in this issue). On behalf of the Academy, I would like to thank Dr. Walburg Maric-Oehler and Prof. Walter Zieglgansberger of Germany for participating in the Symposium. I would also like to thank all the national speakers whose participation was instrumental in making this Symposium a success.
More than 400 participants attended the Symposium, which will always be regarded as one of our finest. The curriculum was quite rich and covered a wide range of acupuncture practice. The Symposium also featured a Poster presentation of many interesting clinical cases and clinical research (see winners in article in this issue). Many of our members were recognized for their outstanding services.
Drs. Roberto Jodorkovsky and Tapan K. Chaudhuri, Symposium chair and vice chairman, respectively, are to be applauded for their relentless efforts over the past year to provide us with outstanding lecturers and a fulfilling curriculum. We are fortunate that Dr. Jodorkovsky has agreed to chair the Symposium next year and look forward to another excellent event.
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MARF Research contest winners awarded
Winners of Medical Acupuncture Research Foundation's annual Acupuncture Research Award, chaired by Michael Santoro, MD, were announced at AAMA's 15th annual Symposium in Baltimore. Sponsored by Seirin America and Oriental Medical Supplies, the MARF competition awarded the following submissions:
- First Place: Jay P. Shah, MD, of the National Institutes of Health
"The Use of a Novel, Microdialysis/Acupuncture Needle to Assess the Neurochemical Milieu in Active and Latent Myofascial Trigger Points in the Upper Trapezius Muscle at GB-21"
First place won $3,000, Symposium registration, three nights hotel, $750 towards expenses and presented his paper to the general membership for an hour on Sunday morning.
- Second Place: Teh-Ching Chu, PhD, LAc, other authors include: Robin Socci, PhD, Lisa Zhong, MD, PhD, Jane Chu, BS and Craig Croson, PhD
"Mechanisms of Electroacupuncture-Induced Ocular Hypotension"
Second place won $2,000, Symposium registration, received recognition before the general membership and $750 towards expenses.
- Third Place: Sun Wei-Zen, MD
"Intensity-dependent, but not nociperception-dependent, analgesia effect by electroacupuncture: behavioral correlates of c-fos expression in rat spinal cord dorsal horn"
Third place won $1,000, Symposium registration, received recognition before the general membership and $750
towards expenses.
ADDITIONAL MARF NEWS
MARF Executive Director Todd C. Royal announced that the MARF Board of Directors met in April and has awarded two grants this year:
• $5,000 to James K. Rotchford, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, for continuation of research on Acubriefs.com, and
• $5,000 to Wunian Chen, MD, of the University of North Carolina Medical School (co-sponsored by MARF Board member Dr. Remy Coeytaux). The research grant is to add a cross-over component to an ongoing randomized clinical trial (N=100) of acupuncture for the treatment of chronic daily headache. The ongoing, parallel-group RCT compares medical care only to medical care plus acupuncture.
The MARF grant will make it possible to administer acupuncture to the 50 subjects who were initially randomized to the medical care only arm upon completion of the initial, 12-week study. Adding this partial cross-over component to the RCT will allow Dr. Chen to double the number of subjects who received acupuncture (thereby providing a sufficiently large sample size to perform linear regression to identify baseline characteristics that predict positive response to acupuncture). It also will allow him to compare the cross-over research design (with intra-person comparisons) to the parallel-group design (with inter-person comparisons).
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AAMA Newsletter available via e-mail
Members can now receive the AAMA Newsletter via e-mail. Not only will they get the issues quicker, but this also will save AAMA money by reduced printing and postage costs. To receive newsletters electronically, contact Membership Coordinator Natalie Ortiz (nortiz9@pacbell.net, 323/937-5514, x20). Incidentally, past issues are posted online at www.medicalacupuncture.org/aama_marf/newsletter/newslist.htm.
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Classifieds
- Practice for sale in Charlotte, NC. Focus on women's health, natural hormones, acupuncture, wellness and nutrition. Well-established practice, profitable, no insurance. Physician relocating. Fax inquiry to 704/366-8997.
- Marla H. Wool, MD, announces that Millbrook Family Medicine has a 2001 Electro-Acuscope Model 70-C (never used), including all accessories, for sale $6,000 ($7,995 new) and four Neuroscopes Model 230-A (never used) for sale $1,200 each ($1,895 new). Call 334/285-7808.
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Member News
Members participating in AAMA's referral program will be happy to hear that 199 calls came into national headquarters (and 5,068 website hits to the referral page) in January, 209 calls (and 4,784 website hits) in February, 269 calls (and 4,863 website hits) in March and 227 calls (and 4,877 website hits) in April from patients seeking medical acupuncturists.
To participate in the patient referral program, practice members can notify AAMA by mail (4929 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 428, Los Angeles, CA 90010) or by e-mail (spc6@pacbell.net). To see if you're signed up, check the referral search (Find an Acupuncturist) www.medicalacupuncture.org/findadoc/index.html.
Jay Sandweiss, DO, DABMA, was keynote speaker at the annual meeting of Acupuncture Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Bristol, England this spring. He gave attendees a copy of the chapter (Integrating Acupuncture and Manual Medicine) of the book (Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation: State of the Art Reviews) he co-authored with Dan Bensky, DO, and discussed it for 90 minutes. Dr. Sandweiss will be teaching myofascial and functional release and integrative medicine at the American Back Society annual meeting in Las Vegas Nov. 13-15, 2003 with AAMA member Fred P. Swing, MD, who will be lecturing and demonstrating acupuncture. Dr. Sandweiss also has created a new program called Secrets of the Extremeties, wherein he relates specific acupuncture points at the major joints to mechanical restrictions at that anatomical site and gives a protocol for releasing the restrictions with manual manipulation and acupuncture. Nutritional pearls and herbal pearls are presented for each restriction.
In AAMA's e-mail case exchange, there has been discussion recently about performing electrical stimulation with needles in the presence of a pacemaker. Stephen Taylor, DO, suggests that members visit these sites for research articles. The last one shows that there is more risk from a cell phone than from this electrical stimulation:
Drs. Bryan L. Frank and Marshall H. Sager attended and presented at the seventh Mainz University Symposium in Mainz, Germany on May 10-12. The theme of the symposium was on Burnout Syndrome, and approximately 320 physicians were in attendance. In addition to Drs. Frank and Sager, AAMA and friends of the International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniques (www.icmart.org) teaching in Mainz included Dr. Walburg Maric-Oehler, ICMART vice president; Dr. Palle Rosted, ICMART treasurer; Dr. Thomas Ots of Austria, Dr. Jorge Boucinhas of Brazil and nearly 20 speakers from other parts of Europe. The ICMART 11th World Congress will be held Oct. 30-Nov. 2, 2003 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Be watching for more details on this event that will feature a faculty of multi-national acupuncture leaders.
Bryan L. Frank, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, will present, Pain Management through Acupuncture: A Comprehensive Approach, July 26-27, 2003 in Philadelphia, PA. AAMA has granted this exciting, new workshop 14 CME hours. Early-bird registration fees available through June 27. Course limited to 40. To check availability and for more details, visit AAMA's website (www.medicalacupuncture.org/cme/cme/pmform.html).
Robert Bonakdar, MD, DABFP, director of pain management at Scripps Center for Integrative Medicine, presented the two-hour talk, Acupuncture: An Evidence-Based Primer for Family Physicians, at the American Academy of Family Physicians Annual Scientific Assembly. The article based on that presentation, "Acupuncture Effective for Reducing Pain," was published in Family Practice News and can been read at www2.efamilypracticenews.com (type title in Article Search box and then register). Dr. Bonakdar's practice at Scripps also was featured in Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine (January/February).
Hiroshi Nakazawa, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, announces that Dr. Lixing Lao will lead a Study Acupuncture in China program July 5-19, 2003 sponsored by Maryland Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Inc. Participants will observe acupuncture and TCM in a hospital setting, attend lectures and experience Shanghai and Beijing. For details, call 301/461-2932 or e-mail matcm2003@hotmail.com.
If you've read any good books on acupuncture or related products recently, please send that information to AAMA headquarters to be shared with the membership. You can also post a review of the publications in the Academy's online bookstore. Go to: www.medicalacupuncture.org, click on AAMA Store and then on Check Out Our Comprehensive Selection. Next click on the book cover (or More Info) and then on Post a Review.
Charles Stimler, MD, MPH, recently gave a two-hour lecture to Westchester Association of Psychologists at White Plains Hospital. About 20 psychologists listened to the overview of the principals of acupuncture and how 5-element theory can aid in classification and treatment of psychological disorders. Dr. Stimler has posted his presentation at www.alternativedoctor.com/new.htm and invites members to freely use/borrow any of his slides.
Abstracts are being sought for the 10th Anniversary Symposium on Complementary Health Care. Scheduled for Nov. 21-22, 2003 at the Royal College of Physicians in London, this event is headed by Prof. Edzard Ernst and based at the Peninsula Medical School in Exeter. This international gathering comprises two days of platform and poster presentations as well as pre-conference workshops and satellite meetings. For details, visit www.exeter.ac.uk/fact/sympo or e-mail Barbara Wider at b.wider@exeter.ac.uk.
Robert A. Schulman, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, FAAPMR, has been appointed as a faculty member of the Center for Complementary and Integrative Medicine Weill Medical College of Cornell University. In this capacity, he is teaching courses to medical students and Fellows. He is a clinical assistant professor of rehabilitation medicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University and an assistant attending physiatrist, New York Cornell Medical Center. He maintains a private practice in physiatry and medical acupuncture and traditional Chinese herbal medicine in New York, NY. He additionally serves as a preceptor for HMI and the UCLA Medical Acupuncture for Physicians Program.
AAMA's 16th Annual Symposium (accompanied by the Review Course, Pre-Symposium and Board Certification Exam) will be held April 16-18, 2004 at Hilton Hotel and Towers in Chicago, IL. For dates and hotel registration details, log on to:
www.medicalacupuncture.org/events/eventscalendar.html.
If you have acupuncture privileges at a hospital and have not notified AAMA, fax your name, hospital, city and state to 323/937-0959 to be added to our list. You can see if you're already listed at: www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/hospriv.html. If you need a hospital privileges credentialing package, call 323/937-5514 (or download it from our website). On the AAMA website home page, click on General Information & Research. Under Hospital Privileges, you will see a Guide for Physicians, Criteria for Privileges, List of Members with Privileges and Links of Interest.
Please send news items and photos to bdortberg@aol.com.
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Medical Acupuncture Advisory Committee (MAAC) Update
It's called the Cockroach Theory
By William D. Rutenberg, MD, DABMA, Chair
MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
When a constituent contacts a state legislator to discuss an issue, the legislator assumes there must be other constituents who feel similarly, much the same way seeing one cockroach in your kitchen implies hundreds of his brethren are hiding in the walls. The MAAC is looking to have a cadre of cockroaches to let loose when situations arise that may impact our practice rights.
We need members in each state to sign up for our Legislative Action Network. These members will receive periodic e-mails or faxes on legislative and regulatory issues of importance to our practice. Those interested in joining can contact me at wdrutenber@aol.com. The MAAC reviews legislation and proposed changes in state policies and regulations, and will alert and educate this network about the potential impact on our patients and our practice. The MAAC will provide fact sheets, letters and various other background materials so that our members can effectively contact their state legislators when action is warranted.
An important example of the pressing need to develop a legislative action network is California Sen. Bill 228. This bill, proposed by Sen. Alarcon, would significantly reduce payments for Acupuncture in California from $76 to $16. I urge all of our California members to contact their state senators and voice their opposition to this bill.
This is also a poignant example of why we need an AAMA chapter in every state. I urge members willing to become the contact person in their state to send me their fax number or e-mail address (wdrutenber@aol.com). Each state typically has only one or two bills annually that require input from our Academy, so your time commitment would be quite limited.
Further, members willing to form a chapter in their state should contact Martha M. Grout, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, Regional Chapter Subcommittee chair, at drmartha@worldnet.att.net. She will guide you through the process of forming a Chapter .
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Members Earn Board Certification
These AAMA members recently met the stringent requirements of the American Board of Medical Acupuncture (ABMA) and have achieved Board Certification in medical acupuncture. They have earned the designation DABMA (Diplomate, American Board of Medical Acupuncture):
Michael April, MD, of Rockville, MD; James A. Della Valle, MD, of Lanesboro, PA; Mary P. Fitzgerald, MD, of Maywood, IL; Larry D. Gurley, MD, of Nashville, TN; Janice A. Harvey, MD, of Dundas, ON; Joseph H. Helms, MD, of Berkeley, CA; Anna C. Kelly, MD, of Greenville, SC; George Kramer, MD, of Wayzata, MN; Thomas D. Peterson, MD, of Eugene, OR; Cyrus Pourzan, MD, of Incline Village, NV; Nuruddin J. Presswala, MD, of Lakewood, OH; Richard D. Serano, MD, of Fayetteville, NC; Martin Smukler, MD, of Eureka, CA; Kevin Wingert, MD, of Clovis, CA and James B. Yoon, MD, of Bristol, CT.
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Volunteers sought for Pan Pacific Medical Acupuncture Forum 2004
Pan Pacific Medical Acupuncture Forum and Medical Acupuncture Society of New Zealand will present Medical Acupuncture in the New World -- Innovation and Integration March 15-19, 2004 in Taupo, New Zealand. AAMA is responsible for providing a day of programming. Members who are thinking of attending and willing to participate should contact Bryan L. Frank, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, at bfrankmd@aol.com, who will be organizing the AAMA program. All Pan Pacific participants and speakers are responsible for their own travel expenses and are required to register and pay the registration fee so the host country is not at financial risk. Founded in 1988 in New Zealand, the Pan Pacific Forum is comprised of medical acupuncturists in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Each country hosts the conference every four years (1992 in Canada, 1996 in Australia and 2000 in Las Vegas, NV). For details, e-mail masnz@apc.org.nz.
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Academy anticipates exciting developments
By Gene G. Hong, MD, DABMA
CHAIR, AAMA MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
"Medical Acupuncture in the 21st Century: Balancing the Art and Science of Healing." That was the theme of AAMA's Symposium 2003. Organized by Drs. Roberto Jodorkovsky and Tapan Chaudhuri, chair and vice chair, respectively, and their hard-working committee, the Symposium was a breathtaking journey from the most ancient ideas of yin-yang and the five elements to the most advanced technology of the SPECT scans and functional MRI images.
That which was most ancient and mysterious is also at the scientific cutting edge to help us better understand neuroscience and molecular biology. And we fortunate few, physician acupuncturists, practitioners of the newest medical specialty and the most ancient healing art, stand in the middle of this exciting new world. These new discoveries that we can see on scans and cellular physiology techniques give us a new appreciation of our medicine.
Armed with this information, we can more easily share and communicate our craft in a language that can be understood by our physician colleagues and the rest of the modern world. Indeed, it may very well be our ancient healing art that gives science inspiration and theories that will better explain our universe and ourselves. We were joined by our colleagues from across the world -- all of us participating in this new frontier. Our medicine is not a static tool; rather, it is a way of living that requires continual learning and relearning. It was good to share this time together at the Symposium.
THE PAST & THE FUTURE
The Academy has been fortunate to be blessed with talented, active leaders for the last four years: Bryan L. Frank, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, who served as president and then as immediate past president on the Board of Directors, has stepped down. Marshall H. Sager, DO, DABMA, FAAMA, who served as president for the last two years, will now serve on the Board as immediate past president for the next two years. These two leaders have served AAMA with dedication and energy.
We have also seen the smooth transition from one leader to the other. They have charted a course and set new processes for AAMA that has brought prosperity and openness. Board Certification, CME-granting status, improved Medical Acupuncture tri-annual journal and international recognition are all dreams of the past that have now become reality as a result of the Academy that they have helped create.
As we move into the future, new President Nader E. Soliman, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, will bring new ideas to our Academy that will help us through the current challenges. I have been honored to serve with Bryan and Marshall and am thrilled to have the chance to now work with Nader. I hope that you, as a member of the Academy, will join me in supporting our new leader. The health of the academy is a task that involves all of us.
This is an excellent time to contact Academy headquarters to volunteer for the many committees and local Chapters. For example, Martha M. Grout, MD, DABMA, FAAMA, chairs the Regional Chapter Subcommittee to help create local chapters of AAMA. She would be happy to help you contact your local chapter or help you set one up (drmartha@worldnet.att.net). Additionally, Dr. Grout serves as president of the Arizona Chapter.
I will continue to be active on the Membership Committee. During the next year, we will be looking for members interested in representing AAMA at acupuncture training programs. If interested, contact me at gghong@aol.com. This is part of our effort to let potential members know about benefits of belonging to AAMA, and ultimately, have them join and become a part of our community.
All in all, it was a wonderful time spent learning with colleagues and friends at Symposium. See you again next year in Chicago.
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Chapter News
Arizona
Chapter President Martha M. Grout, MD, MD(H), DABMA, FAAMA, was recently appointed by Gov. Janet Napolitano to the Arizona State Acupuncture Board of Examiners for a three-year term. Her duties will be to supervise the practice of acupuncture by non-physician licensed acupuncturists in Arizona. The Board of Acupuncture has two physicians, two non-physician professionals, three acupuncturists and two public members. Her major activity so far has been to address the role and training of medical acupuncture assistants with the Board of Homeopathy, which is in the process of revising those rules. The initial revision included provisions for medical assistants to develop and implement acupuncture treatments, under the supervision of a physician with at least 200 hours of training. The standards for the physician trainer have been revised upward, to 1000 hours of training. Dr. Grout's current efforts are directed at requiring "medical assistants" developing and performing acupuncture treatments to be licensed as acupuncturists, in accordance with the laws of Arizona.
Also, Rebecca Wilks, MD, has been appointed secretary/treasurer of AAMA's Arizona Chapter. The Chapter meets from 9-11 am on the second Saturday of the month (602/787-8500).
Georgia
President Anna Kelly, MD, reports that 36 participants (half MD/half LAc) enjoyed the Chapter's Acupuncture Seminar and Workshop in Scar Unblocking, with instructor Lynsay Tunnell, DOM, LAc, full professor of acupuncture and Oriental medicine at Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, NM. The workshop in March was the first to be accredited by AAMA for CME status, offering 7.5 hours. The Chapter plans to invite an MD speaker for its next meeting in March 2004.
Illinois
Ten Chapter members learned from AAMA's 15th annual Symposium and met during lunch on Friday. President David Bilstrom, MD, DABMA, attended a very fruitful meeting with other Chapter presidents while in Baltimore.
Chapter membership in the second year is doing well so far. They have five new members and have retained the majority of members from the first year. Members meet quarterly, having gathered in May to learn Yamamota New Scalp Acupuncture taught by Richard A. Feely, DO, FAAO, FCA, FAAMA, FAADEP, CIME, CHCQM. The Chapter's next meeting will in September.
North Carolina
New Chapter officers were recently elected: President Michael Sharp, MD, President Elect John Giusto, MD, and Secretary-Treasurer Dietlinde Zipkin, MD. Monthly meetings continue to alternate between Charlotte and Chapel Hill, but will be suspended during summer. Next fall, there are plans to hold meetings in Asheville.
Oregon
Many Chapter members attended the recent Symposium. These included Drs. Robert Gross, Thomas Peterson, Barbara Gilbertson, Lowell Kobrin and Gene Hong. The Oregon Chapter met on June 2 to plan the 2003 annual educational meeting. Through contacts made at the Symposium, a potential speaker has been identified. For additional information, contact Drs. Gross, Hong or Peter Hanfileti. More details in next newsletter.
Does your state have a local AAMA chapter? If not, why? Chapters provide fellowship and professional camaraderie, not to mention education and curbside consults. If you are interested in establishing a chapter in your state, contact Regional Chapter Subcommittee Chair Martha M. Grout, MD, MD(H), DABMA, FAAMA (602/787-8500, drmartha@worldnet.att.net).
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American Board of Medical Acupuncture (ABMA) forging ahead
By Hiroshi Nakazawa, MD, DABMA, FAAMA
CHAIR, AMERICAN BOARD OF MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE
Several ABMA Board of Trustee representatives met with program chairs from New York Medical College and McMaster University School of Medicine for informal discussions. The Board intends to get involved with the chairs of the seven other schools that now have approved training programs for ABMA certification.
It was generally agreed that the ABMA would be better served if "the bar was raised" with regard to the requirment for Board Certification. Higher standards would include additional documentation for advanced skills and knowlege base, which would then qualify for title of "Acupuncture Specialist." ABMA plans to:
- Review the current Core Curriculum
- Do a systematic review of the current examination content.
- Consider possibility of sharing teaching or mentoring resources among the various training programs.
- Work with the AAMA CME Committee to maintain the quality of CME.
- Ensure that all training programs are created to encourage membership in AAMA as the representative body to advance mutual interests.
The Welcome Party for new Board members on the eve of AAMA's 15th annual Symposium was successful. New Board members were officially welcomed and mingled socially with current members. Suggestions to ABMA are welcome (minekonaka@aol.com).
Forty-nine applicants took the ABMA Board Certification Exam on April 28.
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