July 2023 CME Webinar: Subcutaneous Infusions

June 26, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

Subcutaneous Infusions

Presented by Steven Baldwin, MD

 

REGISTER HERE

Prolonged stress, delays in care, and patient deterioration can occur when repeated attempts to establish venous access are unsuccessful. Subcutaneous infusions can be quickly established with less stress, delays in care, and patient deterioration and represent a method to avoid higher risk procedures (ie, central venous catheters) to achieve fluid or medication infusions. During this webinar, Dr. Steven Baldwin will review indications and techniques for administering these infusions.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the attendee should be able to:

  • Describe the potential for subcutaneous infusions to be used as an alternative to traditional intravenous infusion techniques when intravenous access cannot be  readily achieved.
  • Utilize reference guidelines for performing subcutaneous infusions when indicated.
  • Develop processes that allow healthcare staff to initiate subcutaneous infusions when other methods of infusing fluids or medications fail or cannot be successfully achieved in a timely manner without multiple failures and/or prolonged discomfort/pain to the patient.
Posted in: 2023CME

Listen to Dr. Donald DiPette Preview His Assembly Presentation on Hypertension Studies

June 16, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

In this podcast, Dr. Donald DiPette, the Health Sciences Distinguished Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia, provides an introductory overview of his upcoming presentation, “Landmark Hypertension Studies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Practical Clinical Implications”, taking place October 27 during SMA’s Annual Scientific Assembly in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

During the conversation, Dr. DiPette, who is also Advisor to the Pan American Health Organization HEARTS in the Americas Program, Hypertension Initiative, discusses some of the integral studies that were published during the pandemic time period and offers insight into their major and immediate clinical implications that should be considered by both primary care and specialty physicians. 

For more information and to register for the Assembly, please visit https://sma.org/asa2023 or call (800) 423-4992.

Posted in: Annual Scientific Assembly

New Courses Available in SMA’s CME Library

June 6, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

SMA’s Online Continuing Medical Education Library offers a variety of on-demand courses, presented in various formats. From podcasts to webinars and journal activities, there are numerous clinical and non-clinical topics available, with recent additions including:  

Courses are free and new content is being added on a consistent basis. Simply log in to your SMA account or register to create an account!

2023 Scholarship Season is Here

June 2, 2023 // Randy Glick

SMA’s scholarship submission season is currently open. SMA has awarded over $1.5 million to rising 4th-year medical students and we invite you to apply!

For complete information and requirements, click the button below!

APPLY OR GET MORE INFO!
Posted in: 2023Annual Scientific AssemblyPhysicians-in-Training

Improving Patient Outcomes through Better CME Design

May 26, 2023 // Susan M. Gonzalez, MS, BS

Since 1983 the Southern Medical Association (SMA) has been accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME).  Each year, the Education Department updates its very own education by attending ACCME’s annual conference in Chicago.  The conference brings together medical educators, professionals and experts from all over the world to discuss and explore the latest advancements and challenges in medical education.  

One notable session focused on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in medical education and its potential to revolutionize the learning experience for medical students in addition to the importance of striking a balance between technology and human interaction while advocating for a blended approach that maximizes the benefits of both. 

Another session delved into the topic of cultural competence in medical education as experts in this field stressed the significance of recognizing and addressing cultural biases in medical practice. Through interactive workshops and case studies, participants gained valuable insights into effectively integrating cultural competence into curricula and clinical training.

The conference also addressed the pressing need for diversity and inclusion, demonstrated how to design activities in order to confront systemic barriers and actively promote a more equitable and inclusive learning environment.  The participants were reminded of the power of representation and the importance of fostering an inclusive culture within medical institutions.

Keynote speakers shared the benefits of incorporating gameful pedagogy into educational activities, which can help learners think and problem-solve more creatively when faced with setbacks; the importance of collaboration between CE professionals and learning health systems to achieve the vision of learning healthcare; and, the similarity between an ensemble of musicians and the education of healthcare professionals with the reminder that “Life is not a rehearsal, and even a rehearsal isn’t a rehearsal.  Every moment is a learning moment, and as such, every moment is a teaching moment.” by Robert Iriving III.

Are you interested in accrediting your educational activity or quality improvement program? Contact Susan Gonzalez.

Posted in: 2023

Internal Medicine Faculty Receive Hands-On POCUS Training

May 24, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

Internal Medicine faculty at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey, recently received hands-on point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) training, provided by SMA. Led by Mike Wagner, MD, FACP, FAIUM, Associate Professor at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine-Greenville and Director of Internal Medicine Ultrasound for Prisma Health-Upstate, the two-day training/CME event took place May 19-20 and included a series of live demonstrations, case-based simulations, and didactic lectures. 

The program, the aim of which is to offer onsite POCUS training at the clinicians’ facilities, provided a customized and comprehensive look at how and where medical ultrasound can effectively be used in point-of-care and general medicine settings. Attendees learned techniques that provide a foundation for a safe and effective ultrasound practice, including focused cardiac, pulmonary, abdominal and vascular applications.

“We were very pleased to have had this opportunity,” said Randy Glick, SMA Executive Director. “Education has been our mission for more than 100 years and we appreciate that SMA could be a part of this event.”

If you are interested in POCUS Hands-On-Training for your clinicians, please call (205) 421-4189 or email education@sma.org.

Posted in: 2023

Discussing ALAHOPE: The Alabama Health Professions Opioid Education Project

May 19, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

The Alabama Health Professions Opioid Education (ALAHOPE) project is a statewide initiative to create an interdisciplinary substance use disorder and pain management curriculum for Alabama health professions students. In this podcast, Ms. Heather Martin and Drs. Darlene Traffanstedt and Sue Feldman  discuss their external curricula content analysis used to help identify curriculum content for this project, an overview of which was recently published in the Southern Medical Journal. 

DEA Issues New Training Requirement for Substance Use Disorders

April 6, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

In December 2022, the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023 enacted a new one-time training requirement on the treatment and management of patients with opioid or other substance use disorders for all practitioners who are registered with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Practitioners are now required to complete 8 hours of training for Medication Assisted Treatment as part of the MATE Act. This new training requirement goes into effect June 21, 2023, and the deadline for completion is the date of a practitioner’s next scheduled DEA registration submission.

Complete training requirements, as well as additional information, can be found on the U.S. Department of Justice · Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Division website.

Disclaimer: The following information is intended for informational purposes only. SMA does not endorse or recommend any in particular.

Available Courses

AMA CME Course on Substance Use Disorders

American College of Physicians Course on Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

CME Passport (ACCME)

Boston University School of Medicine Course on Opioid Prescribing Education

National Institute on Drug Abuse Courses on Opioid and Pain Management

Prime, Inc. Course on Prescribing Opioids for Pain

Prime, Inc. Course on Safe & Effective Prescribing of Controlled Substances

Providers Clinical Support System Courses for Chronic Pain

Posted in: 2023

New Tech and Sports Medicine – with Dr. Marcus A. Rothermich

March 31, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

SMA Executive Director Randy Glick recently spent time talking with Dr. Marcus A. Rothermich, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon with Andrews Sports Medicine. During the wide-ranging conversation, Dr. Rothermich discussed the future direction of sports medicine, as well as recent advances in medical technology, including the HoloLens mixed reality goggles and their implications for orthopedic surgery. And with both Randy and Dr. Rothermich working in Alabama, they were sure to touch on sports in the South!

April 2023 CME Webinar

March 27, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

Burnout, Wellness and Systemic Change: A Clinician's Prescription for Well-Being

Drs. Desiree Burroughs-Ray and Christopher Jackson

REGISTER HERE

This session will discuss system level and individual level practical solutions to healthcare workers dealing with burnout amidst the convergence of multiple pandemics. Using personal stories and changes enacted at the system level in our institution, we want to start a conversation around a prescription for addressing wellness from the healthcare worker perspective!

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this activity, the attendee should be able to:

  • Identify the prevalence of symptoms of burnout in US healthcare professionals.
  • List individual strategies to prioritize wellness.
  • Evaluate strategies for implementing system level changes to help mitigate burnout and promote wellness.
Posted in: 2023CME

The Physician Position

March 24, 2023 // Rob Ingram

The Best Defense is a Proactive Offense

Physician deficit, burnout, and scope of practice – these terms have become all too familiar when discussing the state of health care in 2023. Overcrowded, underserved medical facilities. Overworked medical professionals. Physician-less teams. The majority of you who may be reading this article know the reality of this issue. But, let's say for the sake of the discussion, you are reading this with no prior knowledge on the subject. Here's a relevant scenario with a "Southern parallel”, if you will…

It's quite possibly the most scrutinized, yet coveted position for an athlete in American sports. It requires leadership in victory and defeat. It requires countless hours of preparation and situational precision. With it comes expectations of confidence, grit, charisma and control. The ones who are best at it know the strengths and potential weaknesses of every member of their team. They have an uncanny ability to maximize each individual skill set to achieve a superior level of success.

The best ones are surrounded by teammates committed to that same level of success and realize that success comes when every member plays with an aligned expectation. It's a role they didn't take lightly, but one that they decided on easily. Because it was a calling. Leadership and the desire to catalyze change are in their DNA and nothing short of legal force or natural disaster could have derailed their course.

In both victory and defeat, by praise and by blame...it's the quarterback who assumes the responsibility.

The Quarterbacks are Disappearing

So, what if the upside was gone? What if the rewards and responsibilities of being a quarterback were mere shells of what they once were because of political and special-interest interference? What if the GAME of football ceased to have any resemblance to "football" at all? What if, for the sake of the bottom line, quarterbacks were replaced with, say, “left outside linebackers”? (Nothing against the guys in the trenches. Their strengths likely lie in other, more brutal areas of the game.)

What if an up-and-coming quarterback's calling was greeted in such a way that the cheers of the fans became as muted as the calling? What if political resistance and external interference along the way overshadowed the once-unwavering pursuit? What would the next generation see? Who would they look to? When would the standards, once held high by the leader of the team, cease to be standards at all?

Would the absence of a quarterback affect the quality of a game?  If so, WHO all would be affected? HOW would they be affected? Would the absence of the QB eliminate the need for one? Or would it force another highly skilled position player to do their best to fill the role? What would be the outcome? Would the result of that outcome produce an immediate, winning result? Would the "learning curve" be acceptable to team ownership and invested fans who require unanimous victory from every outing? Would the standard of the team remain exceptional, or would it eventually migrate to an "acceptable" level? Follow this same narrative and apply the far-reaching effects to medical team morale, patient care quality, and the overall level of confidence placed into the system.

The quarterbacks are disappearing and health care is being forced to adjust. The concept of BEST scope of practice doesn't devalue anyone on the team, rather it utilizes experts in their field in the very role in which they are extensively trained to achieve the highest level of excellence. It requires every member to contribute their own irreplaceable, professional set of skills.

What Happens Now?

The physician deficit in the US is increasing at an historic rate, leading to financial, mental, medical, and even legal strain on the very institutions and individuals who are providing the care. The expanding scope of practice is ultimately forcing those with very specific training to reach beyond their range of expertise and assume unintended responsibilities.

The Physician Position is Disappearing

It's time to start talking about it. It's time for medicine to again be led by physicians who will once again clearly hear their calling and be the example for the next generation. It's time to take a look at what physician deficit really means. It means a deficit in standards, leadership and accountability...a deficit that most football fans would regard as unacceptable on the gridiron. So, why would we allow it when it directly effects our lives and the lives of our kids and grandchildren?

A slow fade to medical mediocrity would be catastrophic in a country where the call to being a physician should be without interference. It should be an unencumbered pursuit that is as fulfilling as the destination.

Welcome to the Family

At SMA, we are committed to providing education and programs that will ultimately nurture, grow, support and unite the Family of Medicine...physicians, residents, healthcare professionals, and students...at every step of the journey.

SMA’s Annual Scientific Assembly is October 25-28, 2023 at the Grandover Resort & Spa in Greensboro, North Carolina. We invite you to be a part of something special.

What’s New in SMA’s CME Library

March 20, 2023 // Southern Medical Association

SMA’s Online Continuing Medical Education Library offers a variety of on-demand courses, presented in various formats. From podcasts to webinars and journal activities, there are numerous clinical and non-clinical topics available, with recent additions including: 

Courses are free and new content is being added on a consistent basis. Simply log in to your SMA account or register to create an account!

Spending Time with the Future of Medicine

March 17, 2023 // Randy Glick

In my role as SMA’s Executive Director I recognize that our physicians-in-training are incredibly active within the Association and are dedicated to learning and supporting each other as they navigate the beginnings of their medical careers. But recently I had the privilege of seeing their commitment and enthusiasm firsthand when I attended our 3rd Annual Physicians-in-Training (PIT) Leadership Conference at The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis, Tennessee. Our PIT leaders, in conjunction with SMA leaders and staff, put together a perfect blend of leadership development, scholarly activities, mentoring, and fun. 

First off, I would like to offer a very special thank you to UTHSC College of Medicine Executive Dean Dr. Scott Strome and Dr. G. Nicholas Verne, Chair of the UTHSC Department of Medicine, SMA President-Elect Dr. Christopher Jackson, and the incredible staff at UT for allowing us use of their incredible facility to host this event. The weekend featured abstract sessions as well as several faculty presentations:

  • “Ask Me Anything” with Dr. Steven Baldwin, Editor-in-Chief of the Southern Medical Journal 
  • “Primary Care and Urgent Care Synergy: Pieces of a Puzzle” presented by Dr. James "Bernie" Short
  • “Proactive Medicine in a Reactive World” presented by SMA President Dr. Lawrence "Lee" Carter
  • “The Audacity to Lead: My Journey in Academic Medicine” presented by Dr. Christopher Jackson

Complementing the conference’s educational offerings were social events and networking opportunities that allowed attendees the chance to get to know each other or reconnect. 

In addition to our wonderful hosts and faculty, I am grateful for the support of our conference sponsors and exhibitors – Irontribe Fitness, SMA Services Inc., The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, and ZeaHealth. They each contributed significantly to the success of this event.

As I reflect on this year’s meeting and look ahead to 2024’s conference, I am honored to work with such passionate medical students, residents, and fellows who are hard working, thoughtful, and dedicated when it comes to their careers and taking care of people. These individuals are clearly leaders who will be making a future impact in all our lives. I'm proud to be associated with their development and I hope you will become a part of their journey as well. 

No matter where you are on your career path, you are part of the SMA Family of Medicine and I encourage you to get involved if you haven’t already.

If you are a physician-in-training

If you would like to support SMA’s physicians-in-training

Images from 2022 ASA and SMArtBowl

March 9, 2023 // Randy Glick

The 2022 Annual Scientific Assembly was held at the Black Fox Lodge in Gatlinburg, TN. Here are the images from the 3-day event, which included the First Annual Physicians-In-Traning SMArtBowl Competition.

Dr. Donna Breen Continues Her Support of Tomorrow’s Physicians

March 2, 2023 // Randy Glick

The Southern Medical Association would like to extend its sincerest gratitude to Dr. Donna Breen for her continued support of educating tomorrow’s physicians with her recent $5,000 donation to SMA’s Research & Education Endowment Fund. 

Dr. Breen, who last year donated $10,000 to the Fund while serving as SMA President, spoke of this passion during her Presidential address and encouraged others within SMA to also invest in SMA. “We can be a benefactor to the up-and-coming doctors,” she said. “This would be our legacy.” 

An SMA member since 1984, Dr. Breen presented at Association meetings as a resident and experienced firsthand the dedication and inclusion of the SMA mentors and leaders who helped guide her journey in becoming the physician she is today. “Everyone was very generous in helping,” she said. In addition, even while attending her first SMA meeting, Dr. Breen was immediately  impressed by the quality of presentations, the spirit of congeniality, and the stress-free learning atmosphere. “SMA is an organization where everyone has equal time, every question has equal value, and everyone has the right to understand the concepts that are being presented," she noted. “No question or thirst for knowledge is too little and everyone is included in the quest for medical knowledge and skills in the healing arts.”

Through generous donations such as those made by Dr. Breen and others who share a commitment to learning, SMA is able to continue its longstanding tradition of educating future generations of physicians and providing financial support through scholarships, research presentation awards, and travel stipends. 

Please donate to SMA’s Research & Education Endowment or contact Randy Glick, SMA Executive Director, at (800) 423-4992 for additional information.

SMA ASA 2023 Save-the-Date

February 13, 2023 // Randy Glick

Stay up to date with all the News about this year's Annual Scientific Assembly! Click the graphic below to see it all!

Doctors’ Day Give90 Campaign

February 13, 2023 // Randy Glick

GIVE90...it's every Member sharing this mission with Family, Friends, Patients and Colleagues...Giving Over and Beyond by just $90 this year...the difference it could make in the journey of young medical school students and residents...it would change the world.

What better way to Honor the Physicians in Your Life than by Giving 90 to help ensure that your kids, grandkids and family will have Southern-minded, Patient-centric Doctors who have their best interest in mind?

It's a pretty simple concept.

According to recent AMA numbers, the Physician Deficit in the South will exceed 100,ooo by 2030.

With barriers multiplying every day; more red tape, politics and fabricated narratives meant to serve the almighty dollar, the world of medicine and healthcare is facing, not only a physician shortage, but a LEADERSHIP shortage.

For the ones called to be physicians, there are very few programs along the way that are designed to help them stay-course for when the option to give up or quit seems inevitable.

That's the SMA Mission.

The Education-based MEMBERSHIP of SMA provides SCHOLARSHIPS for financial support, RELATIONSHIPS for mental support, FELLOWSHIP for social support and MENTORSHIPS for educational support.

And it's all funded by your STEWARDSHIP.

We are a 501(c)(3A) Non-Profit organization. Every penny we receive from donations goes to fund medical student scholarships and programs designed to improve patient care, and combat physician burnout through apolitical, multidisciplinary physician education. We seek to unite healthcare professionals at every level of medicine.

We would greatly appreciate your help.

If you would consider donating to the Give90 Initiative of SMA, please share this link with anyone you think would do the same.

We are so grateful. The Physicians of Tomorrow Will Be Too.

Thank you.

Doctors’ Day 2023

February 13, 2023 // Randy Glick

NATIONAL DOCTORS' DAY IS MARCH 30

Remember to say thanks to your doctors!

Join SMA as we GIVE90 as we celebrate 90 years since members of the Southern Medical Association began observing this "Day to Honor Physicians".
DOCTORS' DAY RESOURCES
SUPPORTING THE PHYSICIANS OF TOMORROW, TODAY.
SMA STORE DOCDAY (1)

Celebrate 90 Years of Celebrating Doctors with Southern Medical Association!

Observed by the Southern Medical Association since March 30, 1930, Doctors’ Day was officially designated “National Doctors’ Day”, by signed resolution of President George H. Bush on October 30, 1990.

The very idea of Doctors' Day was created by members of the Southern Medical Association Barrow County, GA Alliance in an effort to bring recognition and express thanks to the leaders in their fields of medicine: Physicians.

February 2023 CME Webinar

February 9, 2023 // Randy Glick

Management of Hypertension : Time for Increased Patient Involvement

Donald DiPette, MD, FACP, FAHA

REGISTER HERE

This webinar will focus on delineating patient-related barriers, addressing these barriers, and increasing the involvement of the patient in the management and treatment of their hypertension. The importance of educating the patient on the critical role that hypertension plays in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality and that lowering the blood pressure decreases this enhanced morbidity and mortality will be addressed. Novel modalities to increase the involvement of the patient as part of the “team” will be discussed. Such modalities include using a simple and standardized pharmacologic protocol in the treatment of hypertension once diagnosed and the critical importance of including teaching the protocol and its titration steps to the patient. Such modalities to be discussed will enhance the patient’s knowledge of the hypertensive process and a “team-based” treatment approach that increases the patient’s involvement. Such an approach will address patient-related barriers and lead to an increase in hypertension control rate at individual and population levels and will be effective across a wide range of demographics such as race, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic, and geographic.

SMA Members Approve Changes to Bylaws

January 4, 2023 // Randy Glick

The SMA membership recently voted on and approved changes to the Association’s Bylaws; these changes addressed:

  • International Membership: Approval is required by the SMA Board of Directors
  • Committee Name Change: Membership Committee to Outreach Committee
  • Committee Member Approval: Calls to Committee are no longer necessary to be considered for appointment
  • Creation of the Awards and Scholarships Committee: This Committee will oversee policies and procedures related to awards and scholarships
  • Revisions to the Creation of Ad Hoc Committees: These Committees may be created by the SMA Board of Directors

“As an association, it is important to regularly review our Bylaws to ensure we are operating at an optimal level of efficiency and providing the best service possible to our members,” said SMA Executive Director Randy Glick. “We appreciate our membership taking the time to review and approve the proposed changes and believe these revisions will result in improved operations and member offerings."

To view the Resolution, click here.

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