President's Corner - Donald DiPette

SMA President’s Message: April 2018

April 12, 2018 // Randy Glick

DONALD DIPETTE, MD, COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA
Dr. DiPette was installed as SMA’s 113th President during the 2nd General Session of SMA’s Medical Summit Conference, November 4, 2017 in St. Petersburg, Florida. His Presidential Address focused on key elements of the Association’s mission statement … quality, patient care, and education.

Dr. DiPette’s Message:

As I was considering my President’sMessage for the Spring Quarter of 2018 – I found I was moved to talk about more than just the mission of SMA. Leadership and membership continue to be actively engaged and the excitement continues around many initiatives, both organizational and educational. Unfortunately, upon the backdrop of this excitement, enthusiasm, and program development is a recent, sudden, and deep sadness. That sadness is the loss of young lives and the catastrophic loss and grief among others including survivors, family, and other loved ones resulting from the tragedy which occurred at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in one of our member states, Florida.

As the president and spokesperson of our organization, I would like to extend SMA’s sympathy, thoughts, and prayers to all affected and to our Florida family members. Words alone cannot magically heal the deep and everlasting wounds, but they are a start. Any tragedy, but certainly one of this magnitude, also presents an opportunity for self-reflection. In this moment of self-reflection, I ask all of us to consider -

What is the role, if any, of our organization in addressing issues and proposing solutions surrounding tragic events when they occur?

Please consider taking the time to answer this question.  You are welcome to respond anonymously.  I look forward to knowing your thoughts.  As a member of SMA, and a member of the global community, your feedback is key to our growth as an organization. Please consider this the beginning of a conversation, hopefully a healing one, among friends and colleagues.

Thank you,

Donald DiPette,MD, FACP, FAHA
SMA President, 2017-2018
Email: ddipette@sma.org

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