As a doctor new to private practice, who only recently finished my training, I try especially hard to find value in my investments. When I invest my time, for example, I hope to be efficient in accomplishing my goal. And when I invest my money, I hope for positive returns with minimal costs.
As a YO, it’s especially easy to find this type of investment value in your Academy membership — be it the annual meeting or the countless online resources. But the Academy offers another investment opportunity that’s of paramount importance — joining your state ophthalmology society and contributing to the Surgical Scope Fund and OPHTHPAC® fund.
Your State Society
If you haven’t experienced a scope-of-practice battle, it might seem like a waste of valuable resources to join your state ophthalmology society. But this is exactly where the real advocacy work starts — back at home at the state level. While attending the Academy’s recent Secretariat for State Affairs meeting in Denver, I came to realize the tremendous effort that Academy leaders put forth. And as a YO like you, I’ve never felt more encouraged by the direction our organization is heading.
The Academy could not do its job representing ophthalmologists on a national level without the work done in the trenches by state society leaders, members and executive directors. In 2015, this coalition won patient-safety victories in Alaska, California, New Mexico and Texas.
Surgical Scope Fund and OPHTHPAC
As you can see, there’s no reason to delay filling out that membership application for your state society. But don’t forget to also make your political contributions!
You may have already attended your state’s version of “Day on the Hill” or possibly the Academy’s Mid-Year Forum in Washington, D.C. If you haven’t, your voice needs to be heard! Fortunately for YOs, the Academy makes this very easy to accomplish:
- The Surgical Scope Fund helps state ophthalmology and medical societies ensure patient safety and surgical standards. The fund played a critical role in help defeat three scope-of-practice bills in Texas, for instance. Due to the number of scope-of-practice bills introduced across the country each year, this fund needs ALL of our support.
- OPHTHPAC, on the other hand, supports federal political candidates on both sides of the aisle who have been identified as friends to medicine, ophthalmology and our patients. These friends play a crucial role in victories like repeal of the sustainable growth rate formula. Contributing to this political action committee is essential to making sure ophthalmology is part of the political process.
Of course, for those of you just starting out in practice, there are many reasons to justify not contributing. But with the investments we’ve all already made in our careers up to this point, how can we afford not to give? Remember, you’ll not only be advocating for the practice of medicine and your specialty — you’ll be advocating for your future and your patients.
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About the author: Byron N. Wilkes, MD, is a specialist in ophthalmic plastic surgery who practices in Little Rock, Ark. He is a member of the YO advocacy subcommittee and recent participant in the Advocacy Ambassador Program.