A small but enthusiastic group of us gathered for our annual meeting in San Antonio this past November. The academic program was first rate including the debate which was held over the issue of whether or not psychiatrists should do physical examinations. I would like to thank Vic Stiebel for the work he did in organizing the program.

As this was the organization's tenth anniversary it was an appropriate time to assess our progress over the decade of our existence and to ask where we should go from here. Among the things that came out of this discussion at the council meeting were the enthusiasm each of us has for the work that we do and the strong interest we all maintain in attempting to combine the wisdom and knowledge of psychiatry and medicine (internal or family) in realizing the biopsychosocial model in the care of our patients. A broad ranging discussion occurred regarding why each of us belong to the Association of Medicine and Psychiatry and what we hope to gain from our participation. The other major discussion item was of course our financial status. The loss of the Bristol Myers Squibb grant, one of several to medical organizations, has significantly impacted our annual budget. Lou Dolinar presented a projected budget for the upcoming year and the picture was rather grim. We must put the organization on firmer financial ground. The minutes of this meeting are attached to this letter for your review.

As a result of this discussion two major initiatives were decided upon:

1. Donna Denton with help from Lawson Wulsin and Ted Stern will put together a survey to be distributed to all members of the association as well as select potential members. The purpose of this will be to determine how we see ourselves and how potential members see us. From this will come a strategic plan of how we can become more relevant to dual trained physicians and grow. It has been a perennial concern of the organization's leadership that we are not enrolling the majority of those completing dual training each year.
   
   (PLEASE COMPLETE THIS SURVEY WHEN IT COMES AND RETURN IT. BE FRANK. From your responses a series of "action items" will be delineated and members delegated to work towards achieving these.)
   
   
2. Each Board member was asked to raise a sum of money to support the organization through these lean times. Further exploration of how we can put the organization on firmer financial ground needs to occur. Among the suggestions were:
   a. Board members asking drug representatives in their regions to support our educational mission
   b. Selling ads on the website
   c. Donations/ endowments from members
   d. Offering CME type programs
   e. Acting as an 'accrediting organization' to certify med-psych units
   
   A motion was made and unanimously passed that each member on the council be responsible for raising $500 in any way that they see fit. Dr Stiebel and Nish Patel will track this.

Please feel free to contact me at oconnor.kevin@mayo.edu if you have suggestions about immediate actions we should be taking or how we should approach our next 10 years. My best wishes for 2002.

2001 Annual Meeting Minutes