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AAMC Reporter: September 2006
A Word from the President:
"Mission Driven — To Serve"
During my early weeks at the AAMC, I held a series
of informal sessions with all the association's staff. In
addition to these sessions being among the most enjoyable
aspects of my orientation, I came away with an
even greater appreciation of the more than 400 AAMC
employees who, on a daily basis, advance our mission to
"improve the nation's health by strengthening the institutions
we serve."
In fact, one of my strongest "take aways" from these sessions
was the degree to which AAMC staff at all levels
view the association as a mission-driven organization,
and the loyalty they express to that mission and to our
members. In my first two months, I have been pleased
to learn what follows from that commitment.
First, rather than feeling that they are part of just one
more Washington bureaucracy, our staff view working
for the AAMC as "different." This is a place where values
matter, just as they do in our member institutions.
Our Culture Print, a six-page document provided to all
new AAMC employees, defines these values as respect
for our members, being effective through our stewardship
and advocacy for academic medicine, adhering to
the highest ethical standards, and assuring that any
information we provide is accurate and of the highest
quality. It is gratifying to see that these ideals truly permeate
the AAMC culture, and that they are put into
practice every day in responding to the diverse needs
of our medical schools and teaching hospitals.
Second, AAMC staff are proud of the fact that we are
unique among the more than 800 "interest-driven" associations
here in the nation's capital. Unlike many of
those other organizations, we exist not to promote
a product or to ply a political agenda. "Tomorrow's
Doctors, Tomorrow's Cures" is not just a tagline; it
truly is about doing what is right for the nation's health.
Third, the AAMC is a "high touch" organization.
Members feel a personal connection to AAMC staff.
In my experience, many of you identify the AAMC first
and foremost with an individual staff member with
whom you regularly speak or e-mail. Not only do you
know these people on a first-name basis, their names
are synonymous to you with their particular areas
of expertise. In many cases, you have come to view
them as a colleague, or even a friend. And, of course,
you know they are always at the ready to provide information,
resources, and guidance. How many other
national organizations do you know that convey this
type of personal, relationship-based friendliness?
Because your favorite staff contact responds so quickly
and seamlessly to your questions, you might never guess
how broad and deep our organization is. I am learning
that behind every contact person, there is a team of professionals
from a wide range of disciplines, including academia, medicine, science, health care, communications,
economics, public policy, information technology,
and other fields. Further, just as AAMC members often
feel a personal connection to the staff, the staff feel a real
connection to our members. In fact, as I also learned
during those initial "get acquainted" sessions, many
employees who have not had the opportunity to do
so are eager to visit our member institutions to get a
firsthand look at academic medicine in action.
Fourth, in addition to being high touch, we also are
extraordinarily "high tech." The AAMC is viewed as a
leader among Washington associations with regard
to the information services we provide, and the degree
to which technology is part of our everyday business.
While many of you may be most familiar with AMCAS®
and ERAS® — our Web-based application services for
medical school and residency — CurrMIT®, MedEdPortal,
Careers in Medicine™, the Faculty Roster, and GME
Track™ are other important technology tools that the
AAMC offers. In fact, technology is so central to the
AAMC's operations that more than a quarter of AAMC
staff work in technology-related positions, and more
than 20 percent of our budget is devoted to technology
and software.
Fifth, what has been firmly reinforced in my initial meetings
with government and other association leaders is
the high regard in which AAMC is held. I am seeing
that our staff are viewed here and nationally as the "go-to"
people not only for data about the nation's medical
schools and teaching hospitals, but also for the latest
information on public policy issues impacting medical
education, research, and clinical care.
Sixth, staff dedication to mission also affects the way
we interact with one another. In addition to the four
core values in our Culture Print which define the way
we work on behalf of membership, three core aspirations
define the way we work with one another: collaboration
and teamwork, continuous improvement in the
quality and timeliness of our processes and services, and
above all, respect for all fellow employees. The realization
of these aspirations is demonstrated by the many
staff members who have been with us five years (165),
10 years (67), 20 years (26), and even 30 years or more
(six); and by a readiness to recognize and praise colleagues
for a job well done.
This bodes extremely well as we move forward in
the coming months with our process of strategic thinking
and positioning regarding the future of academic
medicine — and of the AAMC as its national voice. The
AAMC is a remarkable organization, but there is always
room for improvement. As we train our collective eye
on the future, input from this dedicated, talented, and
experienced staff will play a key role.
By continuing to maximize the wonderful resource of
our staff, we can make our great organization even better.
And you can rest assured that, in addition to staying
high touch and high tech, we will remain mission-driven
to serve our members.
Darrell G. Kirch, M.D.
AAMC President
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