American Clinical and Climatological Association

François M. Abboud, M.D., President

The University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

616 Medical Research center

Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1182

Ph: 319-335-7708 | Fax: 319-335-6969

Email:  francois-abboud@uiowa.edu

February, 2008

Dear ACCA Members and Spouses:

It has been my great privilege to be a member of ACCA since 1973. Almost a century before that, and earlier than most academic medical organizations, our Association was born For 120 years, our meetings have maintained not only a tradition of excellence in clinical and scientific medicine, but just as importantly, we have successfully sustained a unique element of bonding and fellowship. Most of us would agree that a key component of that friendly spirit is the active inclusion of our spouses in our annual gathering. Now that I have the honor of serving as your President I pledge my commitment to our goals and ask you to help Doris and me to continue to nurture our traditions and enrich them with a new vision into the future. In this letter I invite your input on the two determinants of who we are: our membership and our meeting.

On our membership

As in the past, the new members that you will now nominate for the American Clinical and Climatological Association will define our future. Our constitution calls for 175 active members and last year we elected sixteen. They will be invited to share their work and scientific contributions with us over the next two years. We should aspire to propose only those who represent the very best in medicine: the astute and selfless physician, the original and creative scientist, the inspiring and motivating mentor, and the visionary and effective leader.

In so doing we need also to focus on underrepresented institutions and select outstanding women and minority candidates and younger individuals with a record of achievement. To that end, Dr. Anne Moore (Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College) and Dr. Donald Wesson (Vice-Dean, Texas A & M College of Medicine), who have chaired our Gender Diversity Committee and our Inclusionary Committee respectively, will work with their committees and the membership at large to actively seek qualified candidates. They will need your input.

Once elected, we want to recognize our new members and their spouses in a very special way at our meeting. Dr. Richard Ross, Past President of our ACCA, wrote to me, in wistful nostalgia, about his election to the ACCA. He said, "The clones of people that I came in with are all my good friends…but throughout the years they formed a special bond that was very healthy for the organization." In response to his urging we will reinstate a special reception for our new members and spouses. We ask their nominators to make special plans to function as their hosts, introduce them to as many members as possible, and initiate them into our embracing conviviality.

On our meeting

Last year we had 21 presentations in addition to the Presidential Address on Friday, the Gordon Wilson Lecture on Saturday morning, the Banquet Speaker, and the Jeremiah Metzger Lecture on Sunday. By general acclaim the speakers and lecturers last year were just superb - a challenge I am approaching with trepidation and, once again, a plea for your suggestions.

In general, our expectation is that most of the newly elected members will make a formal presentation. I am confident that the free, open and lively discussions following each presentation will continue to be as vivacious and as characteristic of our meeting as ever. The publication of the presentations and ensuing discussions in the Transactions will have to remain an essential and enriching historic repository of our Association.

In the spirit of change that is engulfing our nation this year, but with a determined appreciation of our valued traditions I plan to ask our Strategic Planning Committee for their help. I understand that the Committee was appointed by past president Robin Luke and includes Herbert Reynolds (Past President), Wayne Alexander (President Elect) and Bert DuPont (Immediate Past President). I wish them to seek guidance from our membership in defining a brief session at our 2 1/2 day meeting during which we can explore a topic of importance to our profession and to academic medicine. In an email I received from Herb Reynolds following the discussion of "new business" at our last council meeting, he articulated eloquently several ideas on a possible "expert panel presentation with ample audience input." He continued by saying: "Whatever would be chosen should reflect the experience and wisdom of the ACCA membership, and the collective advice should help improve and preserve important components related to clinical medicine, facilitating research and improving teaching for our medical colleagues who are in the pipeline following us." I believe that the enormous talent, wisdom and reflective power of our distinguished membership should provide a uniquely enriching forum for a challenging and informative experience for all. Therefore I urge you to communicate to me and to Dr. Reynolds any ideas you would like to have considered and suggestions that are as specific as you can make them.

Last, but certainly not least, our meeting should remain distinctive because of the invited participation of the spouses in all our sessions. In addition, of course, are their special activities that are planned by the "Spouses' Council," which I am delighted to be able to delegate, with full confidence, to Doris Abboud. With the unbelievable support, dedication and expertise of Susan Billings and the energetic team of Council Members I am certain the program for spouses will reflect the talent, creativity, and love of life of our partners in life.

So please plan to join fellow members and spouses at the 121st Meeting of the American Clinical and Climatological Association.