How to Dump the AMA?

[odieoh]

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to stop getting "membership fees due" spam from the AMA. I am getting letters it seems weekly, at least several times a month with renewal notices etc. The latest was an "urgent delivery" fedex type envelope with nothing inside except the same membership dues form that I've been getting. I want to know how to make them stop. Can I ask them to put me on their "do not call" list or some equivalent? Anyone else getting this spam? I'm not particularly wanting to start a debate about the AMA or its pros and cons, although if others wish to, go ahead. I just want to stop getting their crap.

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Members don't see this ad.

 

[gutonc]

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to stop getting "membership fees due" spam from the AMA. I am getting letters it seems weekly, at least several times a month with renewal notices etc. The latest was an "urgent delivery" fedex type envelope with nothing inside except the same membership dues form that I've been getting. I want to know how to make them stop. Can I ask them to put me on their "do not call" list or some equivalent? Anyone else getting this spam? I'm not particularly wanting to start a debate about the AMA or its pros and cons, although if others wish to, go ahead. I just want to stop getting their crap.

Do you have a fireplace? Use it to start the fire.

Do you have a pre-schooler? ART PROJECT!

I go the art project route. The AMA junk mail is is nothing compared to the 18 (no s**t) freebie throwaway journals I get each month.

 

[odieoh]

Do you have a fireplace? Use it to start the fire.

Do you have a pre-schooler? ART PROJECT!

I go the art project route. The AMA junk mail is is nothing compared to the 18 (no s**t) freebie throwaway journals I get each month.

Yeah, I do have a fireplace and I do end up burning them. . . I suppose what bothers me more than just getting the mail is what it represents. Basically is their strategy to just annoy and badger people in the hopes that someone will finally pay just to have the mail stop? Because they cant be reasonably thinking "I'm sure Dr. XXX really really does want to be a member of the AMA, he just didn't get our membership form. Therefore we must send another. And if he doesn't respond in 2 weeks, we'll assume he didn't get it again, and send another." Repeat ad infinitum. If the AMA were looking for a prom date I guess it would eventually be successful because rejection does not seem to phase it at all.

 

[Smurfette]

The AMA stuff doesn't go away. Not that I can tell. I doubt getting removed off their list would stop it....they'd get your name again a few months later (off of licensing lists, all sorts of physician and med school data collection sites, state medical societies, etc.) and it'd start all over again. You'll drive yourself crazy trying to get off the lists.

Just throw it out.

 

[turquoiseblue]

Yeah, I do have a fireplace and I do end up burning them. . . I suppose what bothers me more than just getting the mail is what it represents. Basically is their strategy to just annoy and badger people in the hopes that someone will finally pay just to have the mail stop? Because they cant be reasonably thinking "I'm sure Dr. XXX really really does want to be a member of the AMA, he just didn't get our membership form. Therefore we must send another. And if he doesn't respond in 2 weeks, we'll assume he didn't get it again, and send another." Repeat ad infinitum. If the AMA were looking for a prom date I guess it would eventually be successful because rejection does not seem to phase it at all.

make a hanging pinata donkey out of it and fill it with candy and use ur rage about the AMA to smash it with a bat.

 

[Maya2010]

make a hanging pinata donkey out of it and fill it with candy and use ur rage about the AMA to smash it with a bat.

Hi, is it your opinion that joining the AMA is useless? They have membership for ECFMG graduates now..

 

[turquoiseblue]

Hi, is it your opinion that joining the AMA is useless? They have membership for ECFMG graduates now..

it was just a joke for the op who doesn't want it..

i am an ECFMG member...after being a member i get much less mail from them. i wanted them to send me jama but they don't.

 

[gutonc]

i am an ECFMG member...after being a member i get much less mail from them. i wanted them to send me jama but they don't.

You can have mine. I've been trying to get rid of that herpetic lesion of a "journal" for years now, to no avail. I gave them $20 once when I was an M1 and nothing since. And yet, almost 15 years later, that damn thing keeps showing up in my mailbox.

 

[smq123]

You can have mine. I've been trying to get rid of that herpetic lesion of a "journal" for years now, to no avail. I gave them $20 once when I was an M1 and nothing since. And yet, almost 15 years later, that damn thing keeps showing up in my mailbox.

I never ONCE joined the AMA. Not even AMSA. Never gave the AMA any money, never got the free Netter's from AMSA for joining....absolutely nothing. And yet I started getting JAMA when I became a resident. Like clockwork, that stupid magazine shows up.

Maybe I got TurquoiseBlue's subscription by mistake?

 

[J-Rad]

But they did offer me some fancy scrub pants recently.

 

[NotAProgDirector]

You can contact the AMA about changing your status in the MasterFile. You can be listed as "Do Not Contact" which means that people can purchase your information, but it says "Do Not COntact" next to it and they are supposed to respect that, or you can change to "Do Not Release" and then your info will not be released to anyone without your written request. That stops most of the AMA junk mail.

When you switch statuses -- ie. medical student to resident, or resident to fellow, or to fully trained physician, your status automatically reverts to full access and you have to switch it back again.

Or, you can change your address to 1600 Pennsylnavia Avenue, Washington DC.

 

[gutonc]

Or, you can change your address to 1600 Pennsylnavia Avenue, Washington DC.

Or 505 N. State St., Chicago, IL.

Actually, that would be hilarious if all of their members changed their address to the AMA offices.

 

[Arcan57]

Do you have a fireplace? Use it to start the fire.

Do you have a pre-schooler? ART PROJECT!

I go the art project route. The AMA junk mail is is nothing compared to the 18 (no s**t) freebie throwaway journals I get each month.

Assuming your screen name reflects your specialty, I can believe the throw-away journal volume. My wife gets ~20-22/month, in addition to useless full magazines (JAMA and ?Practicing Physicians).

 

[Buzz Me]

I emailed them a while ago and now no longer get their journal in the mail.

 

[odieoh]

Or, you can change your address to 1600 Pennsylnavia Avenue, Washington DC.

I like this option

 

[Winged Scapula]

Or 505 N. State St., Chicago, IL.

Actually, that would be hilarious if all of their members changed their address to the AMA offices.

That or 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue are great options.

 

[DreamLover]

I was wondering if anyone knows a way to stop getting "membership fees due" spam from the AMA. I am getting letters it seems weekly, at least several times a month with renewal notices etc. The latest was an "urgent delivery" fedex type envelope with nothing inside except the same membership dues form that I've been getting. I want to know how to make them stop. Can I ask them to put me on their "do not call" list or some equivalent? Anyone else getting this spam? I'm not particularly wanting to start a debate about the AMA or its pros and cons, although if others wish to, go ahead. I just want to stop getting their crap.

I get the exact same crap on seemingly a daily basis...never been a member..will never be a member. I just write "return to sender" and send that crap right back. I hope they get charged for the extra postage!

 

[mig26x]

I got mail the other day that said invoice payment. I thought to myself, did I enroll in the AMA and forgot to pay? I was, that's going to f#$# up my credit, but then I realize that I dont have to pay sh$t so I just threw it on the garbage can, to my surprise I got another on the mail like 2-3 weeks after.

 

[LifetimeDoc]

Take the business reply envelope, stuff it full of junk paper, then mail it back.

 

[AznTrojan]

Take the business reply envelope, stuff it full of junk paper, then mail it back.

this.. 👍

 

[3dtp]

Take the business reply envelope, stuff it full of junk paper, then mail it back.

Better, glue it to a lead brick. Then mail it back.

 

[235750]

i wanted them to send me jama but they don't.

You can have mine. I've been trying to get rid of that herpetic lesion of a "journal" for years now, to no avail.

I can understand why junk mail is annoying, but why do some of you dislike JAMA? It's a top ranked journal with a crazy high IF. Their articles are cutting edge, and it at least makes good reading material for the bathroom.

What journal(s) do you prefer instead?

 

[3dtp]

I can understand why junk mail is annoying, but why do some of you dislike JAMA? It's a top ranked journal with a crazy high IF. Their articles are cutting edge, and it at least makes good reading material for the bathroom.

What journal(s) do you prefer instead?

NEJM. JAMA will publish what others reject.

 

[235750]

NEJM. JAMA will publish what others reject.

Fair enough, NEJM is a better journal, but still! JAMA has an IF of 30 (!!) vs NEJM's 38. JAMA is still ranked #3 in general medicine in the entire world

And remember that whole Vioxx scandal? That was NEJM's screw up