Looking ahead at the past

Years ago, on a busy day in the last few months of my internal medicine residency at Boston City Hospital, one of my attendings, John Noble, MD, MACP, a former ACP Regent, shared some very important instructions. That day my fellow residents and I were just trying to get through the surprises and tumult of medical walk-in clinic, and not particularly seeking any guidance or profound wisdom. Dr. Noble had other ideas.

“You must join ACP,” he said. “Whatever you do, wherever your career takes you, join ACP and remain involved. You will not regret it, and it will be one of the most important professional decisions you will ever make.” As a dutiful resident, I followed his directions.

Fast forward to today, and Dr. Noble was right, emphatically so. My professional life has been graced, enriched, and nourished by ACP and my dear ACP friends, and I am so very grateful. Given this, I try to give back by sharing with colleagues, and especially with students, residents, and early career physicians, how ACP has inspired me. So, just how does ACP inspire, and why is this important for students, residents, and early career physicians?

Three main points come to mind: principles, opportunities, and relevance.

Principles

ACP is a principled professional society, guided by its mission, vision, goals, and core values. In many ways, the values ACP holds dear are precisely those to which we all aspire. Patients are the focus. Patients inspire and motivate us to excellence, day in and day out. The recent thoughtful position paper “Health as a Human Right,” developed by ACP's Ethics, Professionalism, and Human Rights Committee, is an excellent example.

As stated in the paper, “By recognizing health as a human right based in the intrinsic dignity and equality of all patients and supporting the patient-physician relationship and health systems that promote equitable access to appropriate health care, the United States can move closer to respecting, protecting, and fulfilling for all the opportunity for health.”

The paper makes several other salient points that describe deeply held ideals. I have been privileged to witness these ideals in many of today's students, residents, and early career physicians. They see firsthand the impacts of social determinants of health and are committed to addressing them. They are compassionate and care deeply about their patients. They demonstrate this by volunteering in local free clinics and local health fairs, working on clinical rotations to ensure equitable health outcomes for disadvantaged patients, and creatively addressing a wide range of challenges, from designing a new and improved bedside table to performing cutting-edge vaccine research. Students, residents, and early career physicians themselves inspire, and this bodes well for the future.

Opportunities

ACP is the same principled organization at its core as it was during Dr. Noble's time, and importantly it is also creatively fresh and new, offering new opportunities for all. It continues to grow and adapt to meet members' current needs. For example, see the dazzling new features in MKSAP 19, including multimedia enhancements and customized learning plans, as well as the impressive offerings at the upcoming Internal Medicine Meeting 2024. Check out the new ACP app, ACP Connect, available to members to connect on the go with ACP and ACP colleagues. A meaningful activity for many is ACP's annual Leadership Day, when ACP chapters send members, many of them students and residents, to Washington, D.C., to advocate for pressing issues on behalf of internal medicine patients and physicians. It is an exciting, inspiring, and impactful advocacy opportunity that can be career changing and enhancing.

ACP's Council of Student Members, Council of Resident/Fellow Members, and Council of Early Career Physicians provide national leadership opportunities for and serve these respective groups of members. Chapter leadership opportunities are also abundant, including abstract competitions, Doctor's Dilemma (consider serving as a judge), and committee service—contact your ACP Governor. Sign up for ACP-sponsored life and disability insurance, particularly beneficial for early career physicians. International medical graduates can access the newly developed webpage International Medical Graduate Resources and Opportunities, available to members only, which supports this important constituency.

Annals of Internal Medicine, ACP's flagship journal, also creatively addresses the unique needs and interests of students, residents, and early career physicians. Timely and engaging multimedia and podcasts, Annals Graphic Medicine, and the Annals Fresh Look Blog appeal to many. And Annals of Internal Medicine: Clinical Cases, co-published by ACP and the American Heart Association, provides an outlet for peer-reviewed case reports. The influence of students, residents, and early career physicians on ACP is invaluable, and inspires all of us.

Relevance

This point is a critical one and is closely related to the other two. ACP and ACP's advocacy work are highly relevant for all of us, and especially for our patients. ACP's advocacy team is active on all fronts. Be sure to sign up for the Advocates for Internal Medicine Network. As examples of ACP's advocacy, see the timely and important piece “Enough Is Enough” about U.S. prescription drug prices, published Oct. 27, 2023, in Annals of Internal Medicine, and one of my favorite go-to ACP policies addressing health care reform, “Envisioning a Better U.S. Health Care System for All,” published in Annals in January 2020.

The College also remains unwavering in its commitment to addressing the public health crisis of firearm injury and death. Moral injury and physician wellness are top priorities; advocacy on multiple levels is critical to addressing these concerns. One way in which ACP specifically speaks to this is with its efforts to modernize language and credentialing applications to destigmatize mental health, a topic pertinent to all and especially to those early in their careers. The Resident Well-being Learning Hub provides numerous resources, and ACP's I.M. Emotional Support Hub has received national acclaim for its work. ACP students, residents, and early career physicians comprise some of ACP's most powerful advocacy voices, and we thank them. ACP is relevant for all of us.

So indeed, Dr. Noble was right. ACP continues to inspire and lead. Today's students, residents, and early career physicians are the future of ACP and our profession. Looking back, and now looking ahead, I am grateful and inspired by ACP and those rising in the ranks. So, students, residents, and early career physicians, “Join ACP and remain involved. It will be one of the most important decisions you ever make.” You will be grateful and have no regrets. Thank you, Dr. Noble.