Association Memberships

[gary5]

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Hi,

I'm a new M1 and have recieved paperwork for joining several associations. Since they have membership fees/dues, should I join these? I guess I'm looking for some concrete pros and cons for each to perhaps justify the expense.

AMA-MSS (American Medical Association - Student Section)
$20/yr or $68/4yrs

ISMS & CMS (Illinois State Medical Society and CMS (Chicago Medical Society)
$12/yr or $48/yr

Thanks! 🙂 😛 🙂

 

[InductionAgent]

Your AMA membership comes with a 4-year subscription to JAMA. ~200 issues for $68 is not a bad deal. You also can get a really good deal on catastrophic health care coverage.

 

[ColoMD]

Definitely do AMA-MSS. Plus, they usually throw in a free Stedman's Dictionary or something else for joining which comes in very useful and saves you from having to buy one. What other benefits does ISMS or CMS offer? $12 isn't much...a dollar a month might be worth it.

 

[Kilgorian]

I would join AMA, AMA-MSS, and your state MS for sure. It will keep you up to date on stuff, in addition to the above reasons. It's also something that you put on your CV (usually with dates of involvement). And, maybe someone asks you about it in an interview or similar situation. Or, maybe they ask you a current topic question that you would be abreast of if you were receiving all the propaganda in the mail. Just my opinion. Who knows, maybe you'll get significantly involved with something and travel or change to world.

 

[Supadupafly]

The AMA is not out there to help our generation of physicians. They sold us down the river long ago. Your money will be used to get a good retirement for baby boomers and abandon us to HMO laboring.

As for the free stuff, you can get JAMA free through your school's website and library. You'll also get plenty of journal reading assigned and distributed reading.

The free Stedman is nice, but remember your dues are paying for it. You can get a much cheaper one (possible slightly used) through Amazon or Borders anyway. I paid $6 new for mine.

The locals are also a waste. It's an opportunity to network, but trust me, you'll get plenty opportunities to network in the next few years.

If you want to join a more helpful group, have a look at AMSA, SNMA (student branch of the National Medical Association; most members are minorities, but it's for anybody who favors a progressive attitude toward the future of medicine), or a medical practice student membership in the American Public Health Association. All are great groups. Last time I checked, AMSA gives you a Netter atlas worth more than the dues payment, so you should join them even if it's only for the great book.

 

[tugbug]

AMSA is a very liberal organization and is (IMO) at odds with the AMA and the stand of the majority of MDs on many issues. But, hey, if you like socialized medicine... Join away.

 

[Supadupafly]

Join AMA as long as you want us to be the poorest generation of physicians in American history (as America's public health continues to decline).

Remember, Doctor's pay is dropping (lowest real wage EVER), a huge chunk (greater than 50% of AMA members) will retire within 10 years, and THE AMA IS HAPPY WITH THE STATUS QUO!!

Is the AMA crazy? Or do they simply represent interests other than our generation of physicians?


The AMA has failed us. We MUST find a new way to confront:

1. The insanity of frivolous malpractice suits.

2. The continuing decline in Physician pay.

3. The decrease in physicians as a proportion of medical providers (outsourcing to NP's and PA's.)

4. A general decline in public health.

5. Inability of 20% + of our country to afford current health insurance.


AMSA is NOT, NOT, NOT, in favor of socialized medicine AMSA is in favor of universal access to health care, which means affordable health insurance. The decrease would be in HMO profits (currently exceeding 400%, not a cent of which goes to working docs), not physicians' pay, which would probably increase as our patient base expands.

 

[dave262]

1) Wha? Go to AMA website, #1 priority is medical malpractice.

2) declining pay is because there are LESS payers, conglomerates of patients contracting with HMOs/PPOs who negotiate lower prices.

3) Huh? NP's and PA's do the easy stuff so MDs can pay attention to the real work. If you didnt notice, the population increases exponentially while we graduate the same amount of med students every year. Allied health fills the gap.

4) Decline in general health...um until legislation passes that severely restricts freedom (no eating at McDonalds with a BMI>35) People will continue to make stupid decisions. Thats why we live in a republic and not a true democracy - the founders were smart enough to know that most people are dumb as doorknobs.

5) Inability to afford health insurance - this ones a no brainer - all the latest technology $100000 bypasses, $175000 liver transplants, $800/month for cardio meds, we all deserve it no matter what we pay into the system right? Health care is a right, right? Theres no such thing as limited resources, right? As medicine can do more and more, patients will expect more - someone has got to pay. viva la insurance hikes. Only solution, (1) stop all medical research or (2) multiple tiers of health care dependent on income or (3) leave the poor saps too well off for medicaid and too poor for insurance out in the cold. We choose option 3. All other industrialized nations have picked option 1 except South africa which takes 2.

 

[dave262]

And finally,

The AMSA...oh god...where to begin.

You are right, the AMSA is not for socialized medicine. They are for a single party payer system where the single party is the government. This is exactly the same thing as socialized medicine.

The government doesnt actually own the hospitals, it just pays for everyone that works there, pays the property taxes on the land, pays the mortgage payments, electric bills, water, gas, it pays for patients to stay there... on and on.

Since it is a SINGLE payer representing all patients it gets to pay whatever it darn well pleases, and I guarantee you this one with 100% certainty, If the AMSA has its way, the day you can finally afford to pay off your last student loan will be the same day you receive you first check for whatever paltry sum passes for social security in 40 years.

Dont believe the hype, the AMSA is led by the most ******ed group of medical students and physicians ever to walk the earth. They wouldnt know an economic theory if you wiped their prostate with one.

and im spent.

 

[Kilgorian]

If you want to change anything you have to organize. If you guys know of larger, more-powerful lobbies than AMA, AMSA, state org's, etc. then try to change something through them. If you say "these orgs are bogus and I won't join..." - then just grab a beer, sit on the couch and whine about whatever you want - you'll never change anything. If more of the younger generation of physicians would get involved in an organized way, then we could swing some clout around. Just my 2 cents. I think joining and disagreeing with their positions gets you closer to change than not belonging at all.

 

[PainDr]

Neither one is expensive. They, AMA-MSS and AMSA, are both great organizations that agree on way more than they disagree on. There are a few big issues with some disagreement, but most of their members are members of both orgs. Join them both, learn about them both, and decide which one fits you better and if so inclined gives you the greatest opportunity to affect change.

The really strong opinions on both sides of this debate are off base. Both orgs have a lot to offer and I have enjoyed being a member of both immensely.

Thanks,
Joe

Joe McDonald
Immediate-past Chair
AMA-MSS

 

[fdfmn]

Sitting on the couch and watching it all unravel seems likely, but change seems to be left to the powers that be regardless of lobbyist. Specifically, Bill Frist, whose family owns one of the largest hospital corporations in the U.S. So rather than eventually need a bypass, I am content with the former solution--watching it all unravel.

Neither one is expensive. They, AMA-MSS and AMSA, are both great organizations that agree on way more than they disagree on. There are a few big issues with some disagreement, but most of their members are members of both orgs. Join them both, learn about them both, and decide which one fits you better and if so inclined gives you the greatest opportunity to affect change.

The really strong opinions on both sides of this debate are off base. Both orgs have a lot to offer and I have enjoyed being a member of both immensely.

Thanks,
Joe

Joe McDonald
Immediate-past Chair
AMA-MSS