INSIDE WVSMA
Message from the President
Adapt or Become Extinct
P . Bradley Hall , MD
It is one of those universal rules of life — not to change is not to adapt ; not to adapt is to become extinct . We are where we are today because we stand on the shoulders of the physicians who came before us . Wherever we are going , we cannot get there by ourselves . If we stand on the shoulders of others , we have a reciprocal responsibility to live life so others may stand on our shoulders . This quid pro quo is that we exist temporarily through what we take and live forever through what we give . Continually embracing change is part of the process .
Change can be viewed as exciting or frightening , and regardless of how we view it , we must all face the fact that change is the very nature of life . Once the need for change becomes apparent in an individual , in a group , or in an organization , we ultimately find we cannot stand still and look the other way . The essence of all growth is the willingness to change for the better and a relentless willingness to shoulder whatever responsibility it entails .
Interestingly , COVID-19 and all its uncertainties has shed light on many needed changes in order to improve access to care and the healthcare of all West Virginians . Civil unrest , the need for diversity and inclusion , and addressing healthcare disparities has come to the attention of many who desire the promotion of equitable healthcare across all populations . We as physicians are uniquely positioned to lead the way by leaning into the discomfort and implementing the changes needed . The West Virginia State Medical Association ( WVSMA ), as the convener of physicians and the house of medicine , can lead by example in embracing its own change and thereby expanding its activities and influence .
We are the only organization capable of serving as spokesperson for all physicians in West Virginia ( WV ). I believe this will involve addressing the needs of our membership in all its variations . The young physician has been educated and acclimated to a different environment from when I was trained . Their needs must be met by first asking , “ What are your needs , and how can we assist in meeting those needs ?” Women in medicine have always been underserved , and it is an area we can improve upon . This need continues to grow as more than 50 % of medical school applicants are women . The issues of motherhood , work / life integration , and employment needs have much room for improvement . Private practice physicians have decreased yet still have needs as do the growing multitude of employed physicians . Those in academic medicine and administrative medicine have their own unique set of circumstances and nuances as well .
In order for us to be the voice of physicians , the organization must equip itself by embracing adaption and growth to meet the challenges of physicians and the public we serve . The WVSMA ’ s newly formed membership committee will be reviewing these very issues , providing better service to our membership , including increased member benefits , representation , and thereby member retention and even expansion . We have long recognized our current bylaws are outmoded in a society of technology and the increased speed with which things occur , and our bylaws committee has been directed by the executive committee to make initial recommendations on next steps in becoming more functional in today ’ s ever-changing environment .
The solution does not have to include pandemonium . I challenge each member of this organization to assess their own level of involvement in the organization and ask themselves , “ How can I contribute to the solution ?” The organization ’ s leadership must evaluate where it needs to be in five years and then define the next steps toward getting there . If we can make a difference in our own individual lives , the lives of our colleagues , and therefore the patients and public we serve , then we can make a difference in the WVSMA as the vehicle of change for the culture of medicine in WV . Change starts with our leadership leading the reorder of governance , meeting responsibilities to our membership , and enhancing advocacy for the membership and patients we serve .
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