APMA News - January/February 2021 - YP3

Reflections on Leadership
Cheree Eldridge, DPM, and Adam Toren, DPM, will end their terms on the Young Physicians' Leadership Panel (YPLP) at
the conclusion of the 2021 House of Delegates. They are sharing their thoughts on their time serving on the YPLP and
pursuing leadership positions as young physicians.

I have enjoyed my time as
a member of the YPLP. As
a member of YPLP, I was
an integral part of planning the Young Physicians'
Institute (YPI) held yearly.
The YPI provides various
comprehensive educational
resourcesforyoungphysicians.The
program also provides networking opportunities with fellow young physicians from
around the country.
Opportunities also exist to run for other leadership positions. I am also the APMA young physician liaison to COTH
[the Council of Teaching Hospitals of the American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine]. I am able to
communicate directly with leaders of our profession about
the concerns of young physicians related to testing and board
exams, certification processes, and various other concerns.
Young physicians are still learning how to practice, how
to bill, financial management, and management of student
loans. YPLP has allowed me to interact with leaders of our
profession with whom I would not normally interact. It's
easy to get immersed in everyday practice, so YPLP has
given me the opportunity to get out and learn far more than
I could on my own.
I encourage young physicians to get involved because we
are able to make a meaningful impact on the future of our
profession. It's great because we can express our concerns
directly to the individuals who are able to create change,
including members of Congress, board members and presidents of certifying boards, and state and national leaders.

It has been a privilege and
a pleasure being part of the
YPLP for the past several
years. I was approached to
join the YPLP during my
involvement at the state level
in Colorado and because of
my past experiences in my
early years of practice. As
we are all aware, there is a
myriad of challenges we face during the transition from
residency to practice. As young physicians, we are often
facing these difficult situations, for which it is hard to ever
be fully prepared, on our own. While I continually learned
from both my successes and my mistakes, I also felt it
important to share these experiences and this knowledge
with other young physicians early in their careers.
I am very thankful to have been a part of this group that
has worked hard to identify and elaborate on both the challenges and opportunities that exist for young physicians in
our profession. My goal with joining YPLP was to support
and encourage young physicians by serving as a resource
and sharing my learning experiences. During the past two
years, with the help of my fellow YPLP members, I am
grateful to have been able to achieve that goal. Though my
time with YPLP is coming to an end, I am excited to learn
from the next generation of young physicians. I cannot wait
to see where we go from here.
Thank you for everything.
Adam J. Toren, DPM, MBA

Thank you.
Cheree Eldridge, DPM

Dr. Toren, second from right, and Dr.
Eldridge, far right, participate in a panel
discussion during the 2019 Young
Physicians' Institute in Nashville.

Are you interested in getting more involved with
APMA and establishing yourself as a future leader?
Visit www.apma.org/getinvolved to learn about the
many ways you can serve your association.

YOUR APMA / PAGE 3

http://www.apma.org/getinvolved

APMA News - January/February 2021

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