Jane Ireland

Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) - 2009 Update

In 2008, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the ABFM Performance in Practice Registry as one of 32 qualified registries that may submit PQRI data to CMS on behalf of its Diplomates. The Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Extension Act of 2007 (MMSEA) authorized CMS to make PQRI

Pisacano Leadership Foundation Names 2015 Pisacano Scholars

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), recently selected its 2011 Pisacano Scholars. These 5 medical students follow in the footsteps of 80 scholar alumni who are practicing physicians and 16 current scholars who are enrolled in

Sean Lucan, MD, MPH, MS Selected as 2016 NAM Puffer/ABFM Fellow

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has selected Sean Lucan, MD, MPH, MS as the 2016 James C. Puffer, MD/American Board of Family Medicine Fellow. Dr. Lucan is a practicing family physician in Bronx, New York, treating children and adults. He is also an award-winning National Institutes of Health

Gerardo Moreno, MD, MSHS, Selected as 2015 NAM Puffer/ABFM Fellow

The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has selected Gerardo Moreno, MD, MSHS, as the 2015 James C. Puffer, MD/American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) Fellow. Dr. Moreno is an assistant professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). He is 1 of 5

First Cohort of Physicians in Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP) Completes Second Stage in Strong Numbers

The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is pleased to announce that, as of March 1, 2010, almost 8500 of the Diplomates who were certified or recertified in 2003 successfully met the deadline of completing their stage one and stage two requirements for Maintenance of Certification for Family

Recognition of Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine Pilot Project

The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is joining forces with the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) to establish a pilot program for Recognition of Focused Practice (RFP) in hospital medicine. This pilot was approved by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Board of

FIRST COHORT OF PHYSICIANS IN MC-FP COMPLETE SECOND STAGE IN STRONG NUMBERS

The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is pleased to announce as of March 1, 2010, almost 8,500 of the Diplomates who certified or recertified in 2003 successfully met the deadline of completing their Stage 1 and Stage 2 requirements for Maintenance of Certification for Family Physicians (MC-FP) and have been granted a 3-year extension of their current certificate, creating a 10-year certificate. The 2003 Diplomates were the first cohort to begin MC-FP and to be eligible to extend their 7-year certificate to a 10-year certificate. For those Diplomates who certified or recertified in 2006 and who began MC-FP in 2007, close to 8,000 have successfully completed Stage 1 and are currently in Stage 2. The first 3-year stage of the MC-FP process includes completing either 3 Part II Modules (SAMs), or 2 Part II Modules and 1 Part IV Module (PPM or approved alternate). Stage 2 requirements include 2 Part II Modules (SAMs) and 1 Part IV Module (PPM or approved alternate). These requirements may be completed anytime prior to the deadline. The ABFM Web site will immediately indicate the 3-year certificate extension upon Diplomates’ completion of Stage 2 requirements. The Diplomates who certified or recertified in 2007, and who began MC-FP in 2008, must complete their Stage 1 requirements by December 31, 2010. To date, close to 3,800 of the 2008 cohort have completed 1 or more SAM and are on track to complete their Stage 1 requirements by the end of the year. Diplomates who certified or recertified in 2008 have until December 31, 2011 to complete Stage 1 requirements. Diplomates who certified or recertified in 2009 may now begin working on the MC-FP Modules at their convenience. Stage 1 requirements due by December 31, 2012. In order to help all Diplomates keep track of their progress in MC-FP, the ABFM has updated its Web site to reflect the 7-year or 10-year track chosen by the Diplomate. All Diplomates are encouraged to visit the ABFM Web site (http://www.theabfm.org) and login to the physician’s portfolio section. The ABFM Web site now publicly reports MC-FP status as part of Diplomate certification status.

Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Approves Performance in Practice Registry

In August 2008, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) approved the American Board of Family Medicines (ABFMs) Performance in Practice Registry as one of 32 qualified registries that may submit Physician Quality Reporting Initiative (PQRI) data to CMS on behalf of its Diplomates. The

From the American Board of Family Medicine: 2009 PISACANO SCHOLARS

The Pisacano Leadership Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM), recently selected its 2009 Pisacano Scholars. These 5 medical students follow in the footsteps of 71 scholar alumni who are practicing physicians and 15 current scholars who are enrolled in family medicine residency programs across the country. The Pisacano Leadership Foundation was created in 1990 by the ABFM in tribute to its founder and first executive director, Nicholas J. Pisacano, MD (1924–1990). Each Pisacano Scholar has demonstrated the highest level of leadership, academic achievement, communication skills, community service, and character and integrity. Bethany Enoch, a 2009 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. She graduated summa cum laude from MidAmerica Nazarene University with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Music Performance. As an undergraduate, Bethany received a number of honors and awards, including the President’s Award, a half-tuition scholarship based on ACT scores. As a medical student, Bethany has continued to receive numerous awards and has achieved significant leadership positions. At Kansas, she served as the president of the Family Medicine Interest Group and the vice president of the Kansas Alpha Omega Alpha chapter. Bethany also served as a student representative to the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians Board of Directors, and at the national level was elected as the student chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians’ National Conference of the Family Medicine Residents and Students. After moving to Kenya at the age of 10 with her parents who became missionaries, and witnessing the disadvantages that so much of the world endures, Bethany decided in 6th grade that she wanted to become a doctor. At a very young age, she served children of AIDS victims who were living in orphanages and delivered food and blankets to victims of tribal violence near her school. Bethany is confident that her experience as a child is what led her to medical school. As a doctor, Bethany plans to provide full-spectrum care from delivering babies to providing end-of-life care. She plans to be active in her community and work for her patients by helping to implement healthy measures in the community. Pamela Ferry, a 2009 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at Baylor College of Medicine. A National Merit Scholar, she graduated from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology. She also received a Master of Health Science with a major in International Health from Johns Hopkins University. As a Liberty Hyde Bailey fellow at Cornell University, Pamela completed doctoral coursework for her PhD before deciding to pursue her medical degree. From 1992–1996, Pamela served as a missionary with the Mennonite Central Committee in Yapacani, Bolivia working as a regional coordinator and health educator. After returning from Bolivia, Pamela joined Baylor, where she is currently the assistant director for the Center for Educational Outreach and assistant professor of Allied Health Sciences. Pamela was instrumental in the development of the Texas Joint Admission Medical Program (JAMP), which is now a well established statewide program available to economically disadvantaged students. During a brief hiatus from Baylor, Pamela spent 2 years directing a community-based breast cancer project for uninsured women. In addition, for the last 10 years Pamela has served as a team leader on annual mission trips to Montero, Bolivia. She organizes, leads, and translates for a team of medical professionals and volunteers who provide care to indigent families and a girls’ orphanage. Most recently, Pamela received the DeBakey Scholar award from Baylor, which is awarded each year to a 4th-year medical student in honor of Dr. Michael E. DeBakey. Pamela’s professional goals include a commitment to advocacy and involvement in research on under-served care, international medical and public health work, and a PCMH-model medical practice in an underserved population. Anthony Lim, a 2009 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at Boston University School of Medicine (BU). He graduated Phi Beta Kappa and with distinction from Stanford University with a Bachelor of Arts in Human Biology. After graduation, he spent a year in Taiwan and China, fulfilling a lifelong dream to learn Mandarin. Upon returning to the United States, Anthony gained a year of valuable business experience working at a management consulting firm. He subsequently attended Harvard Law School, graduating cum laude. Anthony was the recipient of an AmeriCorps educational award for 1 year of public service within an underserved community. During this time, he taught math at a tuition-free middle school for children from economically disadvantaged families. Prior to attending medical school, Anthony spent a year as a clinical research assistant at the Joslin Diabetes Center, working on a nationwide NIH study examining treatment options for type-2 diabetes in adolescents. As a medical student at BU, Anthony has continued his commitment to service. As an Albert Schweitzer Fellow, he organized and led weekly therapeutic sessions for homeless individuals recovering from illness, and he co-organized and moderated a homeless symposium. Anthony also co-founded and co-led BU’s Christian Medical and Dental Association (CMDA). He was recently inducted into the Gold Humanism and Honor Society, which honors medical students for “demonstrating excellence in clinical care, leadership, compassion, and dedication to service.” As a family physician, Anthony looks forward to a career that combines patient care, clinical teaching, and working with the underserved. He intends to work relentlessly at the individual, community, and policy-wide level toward building healthier communities. Steven Lin, a 2009 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at Stanford School of Medicine. He graduated summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Duke University with a Bachelor of Science in Biology. His work on eliminating health inequities nationally made him the American Red Cross “Person of the Year” at Duke, where he was also elected chapter president. He received 3 major fellowships and was named a national semifinalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. At Stanford, Steven joined the Asian Liver Center, the first non-profit organization in the country that addresses the disproportionate burden of hepatitis B and liver cancer in Asians. While spearheading outreach and educational projects both domestically and internationally in China, he conducted one of the largest epidemiological studies of hepatitis B in Asian Americans, which won honors from the American College of Preventive Medicine and became a landmark paper in Hepatology. He was also a key contributor to the Asian Liver Center’s “Physician’s Guide to Hepatitis B” – an evidence-based practice guideline funded by the CDC. Working with the Department of Public Health and the California State Assembly, Steven helped create public and provider awareness about the importance of routine hepatitis B testing and vaccination, and ensure access to treatment for chronically infected individuals. He received the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship to start a free clinic for underserved Asians at risk for hepatitis B and liver cancer. His clinic attracted national media attention and was inducted into the National Task Force on Hepatitis B. In recognition of his work, Steven was awarded the American Academy of Family Physicians’ Student Community Outreach Award. Karl Metzger, a 2009 Pisacano Scholar, is a 4th-year medical student at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. He graduated from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. While attending night school to obtain his undergraduate degree, Karl also began his 20-year career in the engineering field. During this time, he also joined the US Marine Corps and continued to serve 6 years in the reserves. He was awarded the Meritorious Mast for Leadership for outstanding leadership as a Programming Team Leader. Karl’s management experience in his engineering career subsequently led to a new career as the business manager of large health club. As a medical student, Karl has continued his leadership and academic excellence. During his first 2 years of medical school, he participated in the Kansas University Medical Center International Outreach’s (KUMCIO) medical mission trip to Belize. Karl also served as the project director for the KUMC Community Health Project, which places 2nd-year medical students in community safety net clinics. He co-managed the placements of the students and monitored their experiences with the community organizations. After residency, Karl envisions his future career in an integrated practice that offers a variety of services in both conventional and complementary medicine as well as small groups, social/community support, psychiatry, counseling, exercise, and nutrition. He also plans to volunteer for the underserved both nationally and internationally.

From the American Board of Family Medicine: AMERICAN BOARD OF FAMILY MEDICINE ELECTS NEW OFFICERS AND BOARD MEMBERS

The American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) is pleased to announce the election of 4 new officers and 4 new board members. The new officers elected at the ABFM’s spring board meeting in April are: Samuel Jones, MD of Fairfax, Virginia, elected as Chair; Diane K. Beebe, MD of Jackson, Mississippi as Chair Elect; Michael G. Workings, MD of Detroit, Michigan as Treasurer; and Erika Bliss, MD of Seattle, Washington as Member-at-Large, Executive Committee. In addition, the ABFM welcomes this year’s new members to the Board of Directors: Christine C. Matson, MD of Norfolk, Virginia; David W. Mercer, MD of Omaha, Nebraska; Marcia J. Nielsen, PhD, MPH of Lawrence, Kansas; and Keith L. Stelter, MD of Mankato, Minnesota.