More than 500 physicians, residents and medical students will meet this week in Dallas to weigh new AMA policy that will affect both the medical profession and the patients they serve. Here are the top issues residents should watch for during the 2014 AMA Interim Meeting, Nov. 8-11.
- Equal paternal and maternal leave for residents. One resolution asks the AMA to amend current policy to extend new parent leave rights to fathers as well as mothers.
- Alleviating excessive computer time for medical students, residents and fellows. Another resolution encourages the nation’s medical schools and residency and fellowship programs to teach trainees effective ways to use electronic devices both in exam rooms and at the bedside. The goal is to make sure technology use enhances, rather than impedes, the physician-patient relationship. The resolution asks the AMA to work with the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education on this endeavor.
- Latest guidance on Ebola from CDC expert. Learn how to prepare for and manage Ebola patients in hospital and ambulatory care settings by participating in a continuing medical education session led by an expert from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This session can be attended in person or viewed remotely via live streaming.
- Reducing medical student debt. A report from the AMA Board of Trustees asks the association to explore the development of an affinity program through which trainees could apply for new student loans and consolidate existing loans.
- Population health approaches to improving patient care. An education session will discuss the various definitions of population health—a term often used but imprecisely defined—and how the AMA is improving health outcomes by strengthening the links between physicians and the communities in which they practice. A Dallas-based physician and one of his patients will share their experiences and insight into what worked well to improve the patient’s health. The session will be offered from 11:30 a.m. to 12:35 p.m. Nov. 8 in Senators Lecture Hall.
Check out more hot topics to follow during the meeting.
