Board Reports

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President's Report

Jeannette South-Paul STFM President Jeannette South-Paul, MD

The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine has grown over the past few years into a professional society more responsive to the needs of its members and the changing academic environment. Our committed Board of Directors and dedicated staff have partnered in a vibrant strategic planning exercise that builds on the process begun in 2001 and dovetails with the Future of Family Medicine (FFM) initiative launched by the entire family of family medicine.

Early in the year, the Board revisited the strategic plan to ensure that its priorities were consistent with current member needs. Indeed, it was reassuring how closely the 2001 priority areas of faculty development, diversity, quality improvement, role of the family physician, and information technology reflected our current views. We then examined FFM Strategic Initiative #8 being led by STFM and have crafted an implementation plan to expand and diversify the workforce of the discipline.

We continue to evaluate our dependence as family medicine educators on Title VII dollars to support and expand our educational mission. The Board of Directors Executive Committee and executive staff have met on more than one occasion with the new director of the Division of Medicine and Dentistry, Tanya Pagan-Raggio, MD, MPH, to understand the dynamic priorities of this division and to learn how best to generate mutually beneficial programs.

The Society has consistently prioritized its regular meetings—each with a particular focus. We had good attendance at the Conference on Patient Education in San Francisco in spite of an ongoing labor dispute. We engaged in dialogue with many of our members regarding how to interface under the strike circumstances and will continue to examine how best to respond on an organizational level to such political/social events.

Shortly thereafter, the world saw devastation in South Asia from the earthquakes and tsunami. Not only have Society members been involved in helping those countries most affected, but we also sent a message to members providing information regarding charitable organizations involved in relief efforts and how they could contribute. The Predoctoral Education Conference in Albuquerque was a success. Its theme was “The Future of Family Medicine Is Now: Innovations in Service, Learning, Technology, and Research.” Nearly 400 attendees participated.

We expanded our successful faculty development workshops this year by offering a freestanding workshop in Chicago. We continue to encourage members to be creative in providing educational offerings in new settings that meet member needs. In keeping with this philosophy, we are delighted that a new Family Medicine Digital Resource Library project—as a result of the wonderful efforts of Jacob Reider, MD, and the STFM Communications Committee—has been funded by the National Library of Medicine. This project will provide for the development of curricular resources in an electronic library for the STFM membership.

As academic medicine faces continuing pressures to find resources, we often find ourselves competing for funding, curricular time, space, and student interest. Because family medicine educators are increasingly involved in a variety of activities and educational exercises, the tensions of those competing for scarce resources affect those of us within the family as well as those with whom we interface. These stressors are compounded by the societal events outside the academic environment. This year has been an even greater challenge for our uniformed and federal members and those most close to them because we have had so many troops deployed to theaters of conflict. Fulfilling our mission as educators and maintaining a strategic focus is challenging under these pressures.

Many leaders and members of the Society had the privilege of attending the triennial meeting of Wonca—the World Organization of Family Doctors—in Orlando, Fla, in October 2004. STFM was able to host a meeting of other STFM-like organizations. Academicians from Europe, Canada, Africa, and South America gathered to share priorities and explore ways to collaborate. The STFM International Committee coordinated a well-attended workshop spotlighting family medicine education and training across the educational continuum around the world. It is clear that STFM has many features that allow us to take a leadership role in such environments.

In summary, 2004–2005 has presented many opportunities and challenges that have allowed STFM to demonstrate that it is an organization that is nimble and responsive to a diverse constituency in a rapidly changing environment.

Past STFM Presidents

2003–2004	Carlos Moreno, MD, MSPH
2002–2003	Elizabeth Garrett, MD, MSPH
2001–2002	Denise Rodgers, MD
2000–2001	Stephen Bogdewic, PhD
1999–2000	Elizabeth Burns, MD, MA
1998–1999	John Frey III, MD
1997–1998	Joseph Hobbs, MD
1996–1997	Macaran Baird , MD , MS
1995–1996	Katherine Krause, MD
1994–1995	Janet Townsend, MD
1993–1994	Richard Holloway, PhD
1992–1993	Robert Davidson, MD, MPH
1991–1992	Marjorie Bowman, MD, MPA
1990–1991	Alan David, MD
1989–1990	David Schmidt, MD*
1988–1989	Jack Colwill, MD
1987–1988	Jonathan Rodnick, MD
1986–1987	Joseph Scherger, MD, MPH
1985–1986	L. Thomas Wolff , MD
1984–1985	H. Thomas Wiegert , MD
1983–1984	John Arradondo, MD, MPH
1982–1983	Thomas Leaman, MD
1981–1982	F. Marian Bishop, PhD, MSPH*
1980–1981	Edward Shahady, MD
1979–1980	William Kane, MD
1978–1979	Theodore Phillips, MD
1977–1978	L. Robert Martin , MD
1975–1977	Edward Ciriacy, MD
1973–1975	G. Gayle Stephens , MD
1971–1973	Leland Blanchard, MD*
1969–1971	Lynn Carmichael, MD

*deceased

Secretary-Treasurer's Report

John Rogers STFM Treasurer John Rogers, MD, MPH

As Secretary-Treasurer, I have worked with the Finance Committee on developing a long-range financial plan and with Roger Sherwood and other STFM staff on annual budget matters. As a member of the Executive Committee, I worked with other Board members on developing objectives for the quality improvement goal in STFM’s Strategic Plan. As a member of the Board, I have cochaired a steering committee to plan a preconference at the Annual Conference on the New Model of Family Medicine.

With regard to financial issues, the Strategic Planning committee called on the Finance Committee to develop a long-range financial plan. The goals of this plan include (1) a balanced budget, (2) balancing the budget within sectors, (3) that the cost of business operations should not exceed regular business income, (4) fees should be reviewed regularly and other income sources investigated, and (5) strategic reserves should be maintained. This plan is now guiding the Finance Committee’s efforts.

After 2 years of budget deficits, STFM continued to face financial challenges in FY 2004 but is making progress toward balanced budgets. The operating budget for 2004 called for income of $2,573,825 and expenses of $2,588,600. The largest anticipated income sources were meetings and workshops, membership dues, federal contracts, and publications. The largest anticipated expenses were personnel, meetings and workshops, federal contracts, office operations, publications, and Board and committee meetings.

For FY 2004, STFM’s income was $2,836,852 ,and expenses were $2,841,561. After adjustments for changes in market value of our investments and the addition of the surplus of income over expenses for federal contracts, the FY 2004 deficit was $124,796, which is less than half of the FY 2003 deficit of $259,977 and well below the FY 2002 deficit of $213,000. The Board directed Roger Sherwood and I to report in detail on the efforts to achieve a balanced budget. The list of savings and increased revenues implemented by volunteers and staff is nearly four pages long. There is no one major area of expenses that can be easily eliminated or one way to bring in lots of money. Yet there are prior commitments, such as supporting the Annals of Family Medicine and endings of federal contracts that substantially affect the balance sheet. As with any budget, diligent attention to seemingly little details will be how we return to balanced, even surplus, budgets. The Finance Committee and I welcome your suggestions and ideas.

Executive Director's Report

Roger Sherwood, CAE

It’s Annual Report time again (my 24th one), and my approach this year is to make this report a chronologic reflection of what has happened in the last year.

In April 2004, we got back into our regular cycle with the Annual Spring Conference in Toronto. We attracted nearly 900 paid registrants to our Toronto meeting, versus 800 participants in Atlanta the previous September. It featured many excellent presentations by STFM members and was evaluated highly by participants. The Legislative Affairs Committee participated in the Annual Spring Hill Visits. The Academic Family Medicine Advocacy Alliance (STFM’s Washington office) partnered with the AAFP Washington office to coordinate the event.

May was a bit of a quiet month but still found presentations from the meeting being uploaded by the presenters and evaluations from the meeting being sent to presenters and analyzed at the STFM offices.

Early June marked the annual conference for residency directors in Kansas City, and once again, Hope Wittenberg played a role by presenting legislative updates at the meeting.

In July, STFM was involved in the National Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students. We sponsored a booth at the meeting, and the STFM Board had its annual July meeting. At that meeting, Board members focused on the relationship of the STFM Strategic Plan to the Future of Family Medicine report and STFM’s responsibility for implementing strategic initiative #8—Promoting a Sufficient Family Medicine Workforce.

In August, the president, past president, and I traveled to the meeting of the Family Medicine Working Party and AFMO Steering Committee in Baltimore, where much of the discussion focused on the implementation of the future of the FFM Strategic Initiatives.

In late September, STFM, partnering with the Medical College of Wisconsin, hosted the annual Forum for Behavioral Science. Attendance at this meeting was 50% higher than the previous year, when the meeting was positioned right against the rescheduled STFM annual meeting. There were 125 participants, stimulating plenary sessions, and excellent presentations.

On September 30, the Family Medicine Digital Resource Library (FMDRL) began its official work under a 3-year grant from the National Library of Medicine. The project leader, Jacob Reider, MD, who also chairs the STFM Communications Committee, began to lay the groundwork and to acquire the technology necessary to support this project.

October was a busy month for STFM. We participated in the triennial Wonca World Conference in Orlando, as well as the AAFP Annual Scientific Session. There were presentations at the Wonca meeting by many STFM members, and STFM convened a meeting of STFM-like organizations from around the world. Additionally, the International Committee held a special session at the Wonca meeting. We staffed our booth at the AAFP Scientific Assembly, and many STFM members participated in the meeting as presenters and learners. At the same time, the NAPCRG meeting was held just down the street from the Academy meeting in Orlando. At that meeting, a presentation was delivered on ethics in research, which was part of the AAMC-ORI Grant received by STFM earlier in the year. On October 26, the Family Medicine Curriculum Resource Project submitted its final report to the federal government and completed its work. The electronic version of the resource document will become a part of the FMDRL.

In early November, the Board met at the AAMC meeting in Boston. At that meeting, the Academic Family Medicine Fall Session featured “The Continuum of Lifelong Learning and Practice Improvement.” The Patient Education Conference was held in San Francisco in mid-November. Attendance was down a bit from the previous year, and two of the three plenary speakers cancelled due to labor disputes in San Francisco. However, the highlight of the conference was a plenary presentation given by comedian Jerry Lewis on chronic pain. On November 20, STFM held its first stand-alone Faculty Development Series Session in Chicago, drawing 45 participants, which made this a very successful venture. A local planning committee headed by Board Member-at-Large Janice Benson did a great job in hosting the session.

December was a bit of a quiet month, and the dedicated STFM staff took a well-deserved holiday break between Christmas and New Years.

January began with a bang, however, as the president, president-elect, and executive director attended the Working Party, AFMO Steering Committee, and RAP Project Board meetings in Las Vegas, Nev. The following weekend, the STFM Predoctoral Education Conference was held in Albuquerque, NM. Attendance for the meeting was strong, and there were excellent plenary presentations on the future of family medicine. The Group on Predoctoral Education had a stimulating preconference session on the future of family medicine and predoctoral education.

February marked the 25th anniversary of the STFM Conference on Families and Health. This meeting also focused on FFM and the role of the family in the new model of family medicine. Participants celebrated the 25th anniversary, and attendance was up for the meeting. At the February Board meeting at the conference, we presented the 2004 financial results. While STFM still had red ink on the bottom line, we were happy to report that the red ink was half of what we’d experienced the year before. I reported on the measures being taken to reduce expenses and increase income, and our efforts are paying off. We’re headed in the right direction.

March was a busy month for the STFM staff as preparation intensified for the coming Annual Spring Conference. The president and executive director met with officials from the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians to discuss ways in which the two organizations might work more closely together in enhancing family medicine education in osteopathic schools and residency programs. Also in March, the Steering Committee and several consultants for the FMDRL Project gathered in San Antonio, Tex, to continue work on constructing this digital resource library to be of maximum benefit to STFM members.

In April the cycle starts all over again with the 38th Annual Spring Conference in New Orleans. We’re watching registrations closely, we’ve already filled the hotel, and we are anticipating another great meeting.

It has been a mixed year. Membership was down from the previous year, but the good news is that it has started to turn up in 2005. Similarly, meeting attendance has improved for the two meetings held early this year. There are a lot of good signs out there, and we’re working to capitalize on what appears to be an improved climate.

I’d like to pay tribute to the committed volunteers who make this organization so vibrant. At the same time, I would like to thank and recognize staff who not only show up for work every day but truly care about what happens to this organization and its members. It’s a blessing to be part of this wonderful organization.

STFM Board of Directors

President Jeannette South-Paul, MD University of Pittsburgh	President-Elect William K. Mygdal, EdD McLennan County Family Practice	Immediate Past President Carlos Moreno, MD, MSPH University of Texas HSC at Houston
Secretary-Treasurer John C. Rogers, MD, MPH Baylor College of Medicine	Executive Director Roger Sherwood, CAE STFM	Member-at-Large Janice L. Benson, MD Cook County-Loyola-Provident FMRP
Member-at-Large Jeffrey Susman, MD University of Cincinnati	Member-at-Large Richard Usatine, MD University of Texas HSC at San Antonio	Representative to CAS William Hueston, MD Medical University of South Carolina
Representative to CAS Valerie Gilchrist Department of Family Medicine NEOUCOM	Communications Chair Jacob Reider, MD Albany Medical College	Education Chair William B. Shore, MD University of California, San Francisco
Legislative Affairs Chair Terrence E. Steyer, MD Medical University of South Carolina	Membership Chair Rick E. Ricer, MD University of Cincinnati	Program Chair Crystal Cash, MD Provident Hospital of Cook County
Research Chair Erik Lindbloom, MD, MSPH University of Missouri	Resident Representative Mari Ricker, MD	Student Representative Nykki Boersma