For those that think the AMA represents doctors in the US:

[doctorcoug]

read this blog. This is kinda how a lot of us feel. The AMA is bleeding membership, and it is stuff like this that causes it:

http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot.com/2009/06/incredible-error-of-arrogance-in-ama.html

[Jarid in Cedar]

read this blog. This is kinda how a lot of us feel. The AMA is bleeding membership, and it is stuff like this that causes it:

http://thehappyhospitalist.blogspot....ce-in-ama.html

The AMA has been out of touch for at least a decade now. I am still getting requests to renew membership that I let lapse 3 years ago. Your State Medical association is typically more responsive and more open to suggestions from the rank and file. Use them to help with issues.

[ERCougar]

The AMA has been out of touch for at least a decade now. I am still getting requests to renew membership that I let lapse 3 years ago. Your State Medical association is typically more responsive and more open to suggestions from the rank and file. Use them to help with issues.

Can you join UMA without being an AMA member? For some reason, I didn't think you could. (This shows how interested I am in either UMA or AMA).

[Jarid in Cedar]

Can you join UMA without being an AMA member? For some reason, I didn't think you could. (This shows how interested I am in either UMA or AMA).

Yes. You check a box on your UMA membership form that says "join AMA as well" or some paraphrase of that.

[Tim]

This is kinda how a lot of us feel.

Stop speaking for doctors. It's like me saying "this is how a lot of us feel" when referring to CIOs... just because I'm on my way to being one doesn't mean I'm one yet.

[LA Ute]

In California, only about 35% of physicians are CMA members. Of those, the average age is 50. It's a dying organization the represents a certain slice of the physician community - mainly older guys who wish the small practice, fee-for-service model could somehow be restored.

CMa and AMA, like all trade associations, simply try to please their members. that's why their efforts in Washington and Sacramento are pretty limp and pretty narrow in scope. The hospital associations are not much different.

Not that I have strong feelings about this or anything . . . .

[wuapinmon]

Stop speaking for doctors. It's like me saying "this is how a lot of us feel" when referring to CIOs... just because I'm on my way to being one doesn't mean I'm one yet.

Tim, I think once he graduated, he's a doctor....not an attending, and he's going to kill someone through error or ignorance in the next few months, but he's a doctor.

In my field....you defend your dissertation, they ask you to step outside.....they talk for a little while, and then they open the door and either day "Dr. Williams, congratulations, please come join us" or "Mr. Williams, please come talk with us for awhile."

I about shat myself when they opened the door because he said "Mac, congratulations, please come join us." I was waiting for "doctor," and when I didn't hear it, I froze, in panic mode. He caught himself and said, "Dr. Williams, please come in."

I immediately, no lie, started hearing AC/DC's "Back in Black" in my head.

[doctorcoug]

Stop speaking for doctors. It's like me saying "this is how a lot of us feel" when referring to CIOs... just because I'm on my way to being one doesn't mean I'm one yet.

[YOUTUBE]DJVuxpYeKqM[/YOUTUBE]

[RobinFinderson]

Bill Maher usually sucks, but he had a couple of funny bits this last friday. One included a fake commercial about the AMA:

[YOUTUBE]S39MhPrLQz4[/YOUTUBE]