Regions Next Step Webinar: Smart Money Habits

March 2, 2022 // Randy Glick

When Your Money Goes Far, SO DO YOU.

Regions strives to provide you with easy-to-understand guidance and tools to help you accomplish your unique financial goals.

Being financially responsible involves planning and having a strategy in place to reach your financial goals. Learn how to establish reachable goals and develop new spending and saving habits. Get tips on organization, record-keeping, and controlling your money to create stability in your financial future.

In this webinar you'll learn how to:

  • Set financial goals.
  • Track your daily spending habits.
  • Increase your income and decrease your spending.
  • Get more out of your paycheck.
  • Get out of debt.

One Webinar, Same Topic, Multiple Dates to Attend

Tuesday, March 29,2022 at 6 PM CST

Sign Up Here

Thursday, March 31,2022 at 12 PM CST

Sign Up Here

Sign up for this FREE webinar today and start learning about financial independence!

Posted in: Business

Understanding Medicare: Tips for Seniors on How to Choose the Right Coverage

March 2, 2022 // Randy Glick

Understanding Medicare and everything that goes with it can be one big puzzle, and for many seniors, figuring out what type of coverage is best for their needs can be overwhelming. Even if you currently have Medicare coverage, you likely still have questions about how it works or what you’ll need in order to make changes in the future. Because there are several stipulations that come with this type of insurance, it’s important that you’re aware of deadlines and the rules surrounding what exactly will be covered when you need to use it.

The good news is there are some easy ways to understand Medicare no matter what stage you’re in. Having coverage is essential after a certain age, and once you figure out the best choice, you’ll have peace of mind for a long time to come. SMA.org recommends that you think about what your needs are right now, as well as what they might be down the road, then keep these things in mind:

Learn About the Different Parts of Medicare

Medicare has many different parts, including A, B, C, and D, and it’s important that you understand what they all do. Most people automatically receive part A — hospital coverage — at the age of 65 if they have paid taxes for a certain number of years, and it typically comes without a premium. Part B is medical insurance and it does come with a premium, but if you aren’t yet 65 and are living with a disability, you may qualify for special coverage. Part B covers a broad spectrum of services from doctor visits to ambulance transport. It also pays for some durable medical equipment and mental health treatment. Part D is prescription drug coverage and comes in handy when you take a lot of medications. There are different plans, and they do not all cover the same drugs. Do a little research online to find out what is available to you according to your age and the state you live in.

Consider a Part C Plan

Part C (also called Medicare Advantage or Medicare Plus) plans can be extremely helpful for seniors who either have a need for a specialist or for dental or prescription coverage, which isn’t covered by Medicare Parts A or B. There are certain enrollment periods for these plans and they may differ depending on where you live, so it’s a good idea to find out how you can get the process started as soon as possible.

It’s important to note, however, that Part C plans typically have a very limited preferred provider panel. Be sure to speak with your physician specifically about a Medicare Advantage plan if you’re interested in this coverage, and verify with your own research that you’ll be able to continue visiting your preferred healthcare professionals under Part C.

Talk to Your Doctor

 If your coverage changes at any time, or if you sign up for a new plan under Medicare, you’ll want to talk to your doctor to make sure he still accepts your insurance. While most healthcare providers are fine with Medicare, some services may not be covered, and you don’t want to be saddled with a surprise medical bill you weren’t expecting. Find out for sure whether your needs will be taken care of before you make any big changes.

Plan for the Future

Medicare is so complex that many seniors can be left worrying and wondering whether their long-term care is covered. Luckily, from private insurance to government benefits, there are ways you can make sure you have a way to pay for nursing facilities that are not specifically covered by Medicare.

Even if your health is in good shape now, that could change down the road, so it’s crucial that you think about what your needs may be as you grow older. Planning for the future can be difficult, but it’s absolutely necessary for seniors who may require long-term care at some point. Medicare may help pay for some coverage, but often won’t take care of hospital stays after a certain number of days. It will pay for rehabilitation following a hospital stay if it’s clinically required, but only for about a month, and perhaps for even less time if the therapists don’t indicate significant improvements are being made. Many times, this care is provided in a nursing home rather than the hospital. 

In addition, nursing home stays are typically out-of-pocket expenses, which means you’ll need to find a facility that’s both affordable and trusted. Think about the amounts you may be responsible for and how to start saving for that possibility.

Understanding Medicare and all its parts can be extremely complicated and frustrating if you don’t use the resources available to you. Look online for tips, talk to your doctor, and contact a Medicare representative to answer any questions you still have. Planning a bit now will give you peace of mind and will allow you to figure out your future while you have time to prepare.

About the Author: 

Janice Russell believes the only way to survive parenthood is to find the humor in it. She created Parenting Disasters so that parents would have a go-to resource whenever they needed a laugh, but also to show parents they aren’t alone. She wants every frazzled parent out there to remember that for every kid stuck in a toilet, there’s another one out there somewhere who’s just graced their parents’ walls with some Sharpie artwork!

Posted in: Patient Education

How I Made It Through: Navigating Residency & Childrearing

February 24, 2022 // Randy Glick

Presented by Safiya K. Lyn-Lassiter, MD

The goal for this lecture is for the audience to understand the current parental leave policy and how it impacts medical residents. Raise awareness of the physical and emotional effects that women physicians endure by having children at a later age. Offer medical residents effective strategies for navigating difficult conversations surrounding family-planning, pregnancy, parental leave, post-partum & return to work. Suggest feasible interventions designed to reduce discrimination against childbearing physicians.

Learn more about Dr. Safiya K. Lyn-Lassiter:

Dr. Safiya K. Lyn-Lassiter is an Assistant Medical Director at a prominent Free Standing Emergency Department (FSED) in South Florida with over eight years of experience in Emergency Medicine. Dr. Lyn-Lassiter has worked at several hospitals in the South Florida community serving a variety of populations.  She is also serves as Assistant Professor at Nova Southeastern University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

As Assistant Medical Director, Dr. Lyn-Lassiter's day-to-day responsibilities include overseeing a 16 bed acute care emergency room, managing general operations, caring for critically ill patients, responding to all patient concerns, and implementing new policies on sepsis, stroke, STEMI and critical care.

To keep abreast of the latest developments in the medical field, Dr. Lyn-Lassiter maintains affiliations with The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), American Medical Association (AMA) and National Medical Association (NMA).  As a testament to her success, Dr. Lyn-Lassiter was honored as the Physician of the Month at Memorial Hospital in February 2016.  She works closely with the community to inform and educate people on evolving medical practices through engaging lectures and community-centered outreach programs.  Dr. Lyn-Lassiter was honored in 2017 by the American Health Council for “Best in Medicine” award.

Dr. Lyn-Lassiter became involved in the field of Emergency Medicine after discovering how unpredictable and rewarding each patient interaction can be. Her specialties include FSED Administration, Graduate Medical Education and patient satisfaction. When she reflects on her medical training, her rotations in Nashville’s underserved community not only exposed her to the reality of health care inequity, but also this experience prepared her to engage a cross-section of patients with care and compassion. 

In 2017, Dr. Lyn-Lassiter launched Ask Doctor Lyn focusing on the effectiveness of medicinal marijuana (MMJ) use among Florida, California and Georgia residents. As an advocate of MMJ, she created a user-friendly website to identify, evaluate, and recommend MMJ for qualifying patients.

Dr. Lyn-Lassiter graduated with honors from Trinity University (DC) with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Science. She completed her medical training at Meharry Medical College in 2010 where she earned her medical degree (M.D.).  She received her postgraduate emergency medicine training at Morristown Medical Center in Morristown, NJ, a Level I trauma center.  Dr. Lyn-Lassiter has proudly served the South Florida community since 2013.

Dr. Lyn-Lassiter is a proud parent to Myla, her twelve-year-old daughter. Considering the future, Dr. Lyn-Lassiter is committed to further excelling in her emergency medicine career, exploring medical journalism and advocating for MMJ patients nationwide.

Stay up to date with Dr. Lyn!

Website: www.askdoctorlyn.com
Instagram
Twitter
Facebook
YouTube

Posted in: Physicians-in-Training

Scholarship for the Busy Physician

February 24, 2022 // Randy Glick

Dr. Christopher Jackson will provide guidance about finding research projects that are doable during training, examples of such projects, and the formula for starting and finishing projects.

By the end of this session, attendees should be able to:

  • Identify various opportunities for research/scholarship from your daily work;
  • Implement the five step formula that can help you turn any project into a scholarship;
  • Address common pitfalls that come up with research projects during training.
  • and How being a woman has made this harder and easier to achieve-the reality.

Learn more about Dr. Jackson (in his own words):

I am a board-certified academic general internist in Memphis, TN. Additionally, I am an associate program director for curriculum for the UTHSC Internal Medicine Residency Program. My connection with SMA started in 2016. I presented an oral abstract presentation on statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy. This moment changed my academic trajectory in multiple ways. I realized how much I enjoyed attending conferences and presenting my findings from research. Moreover, I connected with a welcoming organization that continues to provide professional development opportunities that have enhanced my academic general internal medicine career. As a clinician-educator, I enjoy the opportunity to provide high-quality care to patients and train the next generation of internal medicine physicians. For my efforts, I’ve been fortunate to win our Educator of the Year award at UTHSC after my first year on faculty. This award would not be possible without the seed planted at my first SMA conference in October 2016. At present, I serve as an assistant editor for the SMJ, and I work alongside outstanding colleagues on the SMA Education Committee. Over the past five years, the SMA continues to expand its educational offerings to be at the forefront of cutting-edge digital education.

Defying the Odds: How to Succeed in Medicine

February 24, 2022 // Randy Glick

Dr. Mary Killackey will review key turning points and decisions in her personal journey to leadership as well as basic leadership tenets, including:

  • The Beginning - Understanding why and motivation;
  • The Middle - Overcoming Fear, Taking Risks, and Managing Ambiguity;
  • The “Now” - Recognizing Opportunity for Impact, and Commitment to Something Greater than Oneself;
  • and How being a woman has made this harder and easier to achieve-the reality.

Learn more about Dr. Mary Killackey:

Mary Killackey, MD is the Robert & Viola Lobrano Professor and Chair of Surgery and Adjunct Professor of Pediatrics at Tulane University School of Medicine. She was appointed Chair of Surgery in May 2016 and since that time has exponentially grown the department in all missions. Dr. Killackey received her undergraduate and medical degrees from Columbia University. She completed her General Surgery residency at the University of Rochester, Strong Memorial. From there, she went on to complete the Abdominal Organ Transplant Fellowship at the Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. She was recruited to New Orleans in 2006 to join the team of abdominal transplant surgeons and by 2009 was named the Director of the Pediatric and Adult Kidney Transplant program. She also assumed the Directorship of Pediatric Kidney Transplant at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. In recognition of her leadership, she was accepted into the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine fellowship in 2017. Later that year, she was inducted into AOA Medical Honors Society and in 2019, elected into the Leonard Tow Gold Humanism Society. Dr. Killackey’s passion is promoting a thriving work environment which prioritizes professionalism and allows her the opportunity to facilitate the careers of her faculty, trainees and students. She and the department are leading the effort to promote professionalism at the medical school. She is quite active outside of her own institution, most visibly within UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) and the Society of Surgical Chairs. She is deeply committed to fostering the careers and leadership skill building of women leaders and is grateful for the opportunity to bring these efforts to the national stage through the Women’s Subcommittee of the Society of Surgical Chairs.

Invited Speakers from the 2022 Physicians-in-Training Leadership Conference

February 24, 2022 // Randy Glick

Did you miss the 2nd Annual Physicians-in-Training Leadership Conference in New Orleans, LA?

Check out the invited guest speakers from the conference! Abstract presentations are coming soon!

Defying the Odds: How to Succeed in Medicine

Presented by Dr. Mary Killackey

Dr. Killackey will review key turning points and decisions in her personal journey to leadership as well as basic leadership tenets, including:

  • The Beginning - Understanding why and motivation;
  • The Middle - Overcoming Fear, Taking Risks, and Managing Ambiguity;
  • The “Now” - Recognizing Opportunity for Impact, and Commitment to Something Greater than Oneself;
  • and How being a woman has made this harder and easier to achieve-the reality.

Scholarship for the Busy Physician

Presented by Christopher Jackson, MD

Dr. Christopher Jackson will provide guidance about finding research projects that are doable during training, examples of such projects, and the formula for starting and finishing projects.

By the end of this session, attendees should be able to:

  • Identify various opportunities for research/scholarship from your daily work;
  • Implement the five step formula that can help you turn any project into a scholarship;
  • Address common pitfalls that come up with research projects during training.
  • and How being a woman has made this harder and easier to achieve-the reality.

How I Made It Through: Navigating Residency & Childrearing

Presented by Safiya K. Lyn-Lassiter, MD

The goal for this lecture is for the audience to understand the current parental leave policy and how it impacts medical residents. Raise awareness of the physical and emotional effects that women physicians endure by having children at a later age. Offer medical residents effective strategies for navigating difficult conversations surrounding family-planning, pregnancy, parental leave, post-partum & return to work. Suggest feasible interventions designed to reduce discrimination against childbearing physicians.

Accelerating Change in Medical Education

Presented by Gerald Harmon, MD, AMA President

This message, which will impact all members of the healthcare community, will address advocacy, education, and important public health issues, as well as why association membership is so important.
Posted in: Physicians-in-Training

Honor Your Doctor

February 15, 2022 // Randy Glick

Doctors’ Day is essential for our physicians’ recognition as the primary healthcare providers for this country’s people.  Let’s thank and honor our doctors!

The celebration of Doctors’ Day began in Barrow County, Georgia on March 30, 1933. It became National Doctors’ Day through a proclamation by President George Bush in 1991. The following is an excerpt from Proclamation 6253 – National Doctors’ Day – 1991. 

“More than the application of science and technology, medicine is a special calling, and  those who have chosen this vocation in order to serve their fellowman understand the tremendous responsibility it entails.”  

In addition, Dr. Elmer Hess, a former president of the American Medical Association, wrote:  “There is no greater reward in our profession than the knowledge that God has entrusted us with the physical care of His people. The Almighty has reserved for Himself the power to create life, but He has assigned to a few of us the responsibility of keeping in good repair the bodies in which this life is sustained.” “Accordingly, reverence for human life and individual dignity is both the hallmark of a good physician and the key to truly beneficial advances in medicine.”

Doctors’ Day occurs every year on March 30th. Here’re some suggestions to get you thinking about what your alliance could do this year or next to “Honor Your Doctor”. 

You and your alliance could:

  • Place excerpts from the proclamation on social media, in newspapers, on billboards, and other methods of community communication.
  • Coordinate blood drives with the Red Cross to assist in replenishing the nation’s blood reserves. The Red Cross would be the working arm to schedule and set up the blood drive; your alliance would create the excitement and invite community members to help with the blood  shortage by honoring their doctor.
  • Distribute Doctors' Day Products as part of Doctors’ Day celebrations and festivities.

Alliances, we have a small window to accomplish this exciting task, so let’s get going! 

On March 30, 2023 we will celebrate the 90th year of Doctors' Day. To plan for this tremendous occasion we’re establishing an SMAA committee to define the celebration, do you want to help? If you’d like to serve on this committee please contact Jennifer Price, at jprice@sma.org  by May 1, 2022. We’ll have several Zoom meetings for your ideas and to create the plan.

-Shirley Becker, RN

From Your SMA Alliance President: Your Membership Matters

February 15, 2022 // Randy Glick

Alliance leaders know the key to each organization’s success lies in its membership.  

The SMAA is “United For Better Health” and this has become our future mission for our communities. We are raising funds for health related projects, as well as launching an educational directive that not only assists medical students, but also benefits our partners/vendors through tax deductions.

In addition, we are in the process of implementing the first ever “Vendor Scholarship” fund for economically challenged medical students. We want to reward students, as their new learned skills deserve special recognition. And when we participate together with our goals to help others, it builds our personal relationships with one another.  Our SMAA members matter to each other, and to the organizations we reach out to help. And were it not for SMAA members' activities, many that are deserving, would lack wonderful opportunities! 

And for only $40 annually, you will receive our new and improved newsletter and a revamped benefits package and that is where your input is needed. Let us know what types of benefits you would like to see!

Let us begin again, as we want all SMAA members to know you matter!

Respectfully yours,
Karan D. Pastora
President SMAA
812.431.1648C

SMJ: February 2022 Vol. 115, No. 2

February 7, 2022 // Randy Glick

The Southern Medical Journal(SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists, including medicine; surgery; women’s and children’s health; mental health; emergency and disaster medicine; public health and environmental medicine; bioethics and medical education; and quality health care, patient safety, and best practices.

Know Your Guidelines 2022 Series: The ASCO Management of Dyspnea in Advanced Cancer Guideline Review

Christopher D. Jackson, MD, Alana J. Schilthuis, MD, Kenneth C. Guice, DO, Katie S. Payne, MD, Tracey D. Dabal, MD

Patient Experiences at California Crisis Pregnancy Centers: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Online Crowd-Sourced Reviews, 2010–2019

Elaine Chan, MD, Yelena Korotkaya, MD, MPH, Vadim Osadchiy, MD, Aparna Sridhar, MD, MPH

Medical Futility: Choosing the Next Intervention

Richard Kelley Myers, MD, Alva Weir, MD

Mode of Physical Activity Participation in US Adults: A Regional Perspective

James R. Churilla, PhD, MPH, Tammie M. Johnson, DrPH, MPH, Michael R. Richardson, PhD, MSH

Knowing Your Guidelines in 2022

Christopher D. Jackson, MD

Impact of Bedside Rounding on Attending Teaching Evaluations

Joseph R. Sweigart, MD, William C. Lippert, MD, MPH, Hal H. Atkinson, MD, MS, Alan M. Hall, MD, Satyen Nichani, MD, John W. Ragsdale, MD, MS, Gregory B. Russell, MS, Peter R. Lichstein, MD

CME Article: Peripartum Hypertensive Crisis Simulation and Education Initiative among Rural Emergency Departments

Julie R. Whittington, MD, USN, Ann Marie Mercier,MD, Abigail M. Ramseyer, DO, Songthip Ounpraseuth, PhD, Everett F. Magann, MD

CME Article: Safety of Recombinant Zoster Vaccine in Rheumatology Patients

Syed Raza, MD, Saurav Acharya, MD, Gabrielle Howard, MD, Debendra Pattanaik, MD

OPEN: Disaster Preparedness Training Needs of Healthcare Workers at the US Department of Veterans Affairs

Michelle D. Balut, MPH, Claudia Der-Martirosian, PhD, Aram Dobalian, PhD, MPH

On Mentoring: Andrew Sephien

January 31, 2022 // Randy Glick

By Andrew Sephien, MD

Andrew is a second-year internal medicine resident at HCA Healthcare/USF Morsani College of Medicine: Citrus Memorial Hospital and a graduate of Morsani College of Medicine at the University of South Florida. He currently serves as a Member of the Mentorship and Networking Subcommittee for the Southern Medical Association’s Physicians in Training Committee. The following excerpt describes his experiences surrounding mentorship in medicine. 

In my short career, I have had the privilege of being both a mentor and a mentee. I was lucky enough to have had amazing mentors, both faculty and senior trainees, who have been there for me each step of the way. As a medical student, they helped with furthering my medical education and research development. I appreciated how patient they were with me as they took time out of their day to further my development as a clinician and as an individual. As I went through the match, I recalled the unpredictability of the experience. I recalled the emotions that I felt of not knowing “what’s next”. I vividly remember talking to one of my mentors as to how to deal with the uncertainty. ‘Seize the opportunity by the horns and run with it and I’m here to help how I can’ is what he told me, and so I did… Fast forward now as a resident, he and my current mentors have played a great part in furthering my clinical reasoning, guiding me as I prepare for fellowship applications. Even now, while our conversations consisted of medicine and my development, I appreciated the opportunities to get to know my mentors as humans with their personal lives while also sharing what goes on in mine. As I reflect on these experiences, it's, without a doubt, the impact of my mentors on my development.

I reflected on the qualities of my mentors often throughout medical school and residency, and asked myself, what did I appreciate from my mentors? I’ve found that what has helped form a strong mentorship with them is their genuine interest in my success, while also being compassionate. Additionally, my mentors effectively allowed for a safe sounding board, allowing me to freely discuss and receive advice when needed. Of course, as the mentee, I felt that I should do my part in maintaining honest communication, taking heed of their advice, and applying it. With their commitment to me, I felt that I must do this same and pay it forward. With this reflection, I eventually took on a mentee during medical school, a junior medical student. I recall allowing myself to make a conscious effort to get to know my mentee and being readily available for all questions they may ask, whether for academic or personal development. As I watched them succeed, I became overjoyed, as seeing their success was rewarding. 

Medicine is difficult, and to succeed, it takes a village. While I still have much to learn, I look forward to future relationships with both mentors and mentees. The opportunity for our growth as mentors and mentees, while also seeing our mentees grow is rewarding. I hope more in our field become involved in mentoring, whether through formal programs such as the SMA PIT mentoring program or informal, as it provides the opportunity to grow and pay it forward.

Posted in: Physicians-in-Training

2021 Abstract Schedule for the 2nd Annual Physicians-in-Training Leadership Conference is now available!

January 11, 2022 // Randy Glick

The 2nd Annual Physicians-in-Training Leadership Conference takes place February 11-13 in New Orleans or Virtually from the comfort of your own home. We are planning a great line-up of topics and keynote speakers, all designed to be relevant to medical students and residents transitioning from training into a career in medicine.

Full Agenda Register Here

Posted in: Physicians-in-Training

SMJ: January 2022 Vol. 115, No. 1

January 10, 2022 // Randy Glick

The Southern Medical Journal(SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists, including medicine; surgery; women’s and children’s health; mental health; emergency and disaster medicine; public health and environmental medicine; bioethics and medical education; and quality health care, patient safety, and best practices.

The Patient-Resident Physician Covenant

Benjamin W. Frush, MD, MA

How Food Insecurity and Financial Difficulty Relate to Emotional Well-Being and Social Functioning

Akiko Kamimura, PhD, MSW, Rebecca Higham, MPH, Samin Panahi, MS, Edward Lee, MS, Rachel J. Griffin, BA, Justine Sundrud, BS, Mary Lucero, MPA

The Safe Discharge Checklist: A Standardized Discharge Planning Curriculum for Medicine Trainees

Elizabeth L. Eden, MD, MS, Scott Rothenberger, PhD, Allison DeKosky, MD, Anna K. Donovan, MD, MS

OPEN: An Epidemic Supplanted by a Pandemic: Vaping-Related Illness and COVID-19

Yoo Mee Shin, MD, Daniel P. Hunt, MD, Joyce Akwe, MD, MPH

Stigma, Social Support, and Substance Use in Diverse Men Who Have Sex With Men and Transgender Women Living with HIV in the US Southeast

Katherine R. Schafer, MD, Amanda E. Tanner, PhD, MPH, Lilli Mann-Jackson, MPH, Jorge Alonzo, JD, Eunyoung Y. Song, PhD, Scott D. Rhodes, PhD, MPH

Postdischarge Evaluation for Individuals Hospitalized with COVID-19

Gail Berkenblit, MD, PhD, Kaelin O’Connell, MD, Sara Mixter, MD, MPH, Caitlin Dowd-Green, PharmD, Rosalyn W. Stewart, MD, MS