APMA News - March/April 2021 - YP2

Take Your Issues
to Congress While
Staying Home
As detailed on page 19 of this issue of APMA News, this year's
Legislative Conference will be held virtually on May 12. This
article discusses why that matters to you.

he APMA Legislative Conference has long been
a highly successful event for the association. The
annual advocacy day gets APMA members into
dozens of congressional offices, allowing for personal, oneon-one advocacy about the issues that
matter most to the profession. However, it is also true that historically it
has not been the most accessible event
for the majority of members-and
particularly young members, residents, and podiatric medical students.
The Legislative Conference's usual
schedule-taking place in conjunction
with the APMA House of Delegates

in Washington, DC- makes perfect logistical sense but
does create challenges for broader inclusion. This year,
however, you will be able to participate in the APMA 2021
Virtual Legislative Conference regardless of your status as
a delegate and without taking time to travel to Washington.
The new format will allow more young physicians than
ever to participate in the event. The relationships you form
early in your career can pay dividends for years to come.
Whether you meet with your senator, representative, or
a staffer, this conference is a tremendous opportunity to
establish yourself as a vocal and active advocate. It's your
future. The decisions made by Congress and the administration will affect you for decades to come. Make your
voice heard.
As a reminder, APMA asks everyone who signs up to
block Wednesday, May 12, and be
reasonably flexible that day. APMA
will alert each participant individually about the scheduling of meetings.
Our goal is to try to provide two weeks'
notice, but it is possible that meetings
could be scheduled right up to the day
of the event.
Visit www.apma.org/legconf to
register today.

Concerned About Your
ABFAS Board Qualification
Status? Read On

ast year, members of the Young
Physician Leadership Panel (YPLP)
were contacted by several colleagues
who expressed concerns that the ongoing COVID-19 national public health
crisis would prevent them from being
able to take their American Board of
Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS) Board
Certification examinations before their
seven-year qualifying status expired.
In response, the YPLP has created
a template letter for members to customize, allowing concerned podiatrists to
request an extension from ABFAS.
The template addresses the current
situation and encourages affected individuals to personalize it with their own
experience. It reads, in part:
YOUR APMA / PAGE 2

The significant reduction in surgical volume from this extenuating
circumstance is nationwide and has
caused me to personally halt and
postpone many elective surgical
cases that would have otherwise
made me eligible for case review.
Several patients have demonstrated
continued hesitation to undergo
elective surgery at this time.
Given that the [Council on Podiatric
Medical Education] has recognized
this hardship and made temporary
provisions in its guidelines, I ask the
American Board of Foot and Ankle
Surgery to make similar provisions
by allowing a one-year extension
to my Board Qualified status.

As the voice of young physicians at
APMA, the YPLP has also sent its own
letter to ABFAS expressing this important concern.

To access the customizable letter,
visit www.apma.org/ABFASletter.
If you have an issue you would like
the YPLP to discuss, contact Young
Physician Board Member Rebecca
Sundling, DPM, MPH, at rasundling@
apma.org or APMA Career
Development Manager Tiffany
Kildale at takildale@apma.org.

http://www.apma.org/legconf http://www.apma.org/ABFASletter

APMA News - March/April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - March/April 2021