• Welcome and Orientation (Gail Wehrli, M.D., ORR Chair)

• AAMC Statement on Negotiating Units for Physicians (Jordan Cohen, M.D., AAMC President)

• Educational session joint with the OSR (Organization of Student Representatives): " The psychology of persuasion: the theory and practice of the message boxes."

• Speakers (" The psychology of persuasion: Skill building sessions")

1. Susan Neely (AAMC Vice-President, Office of Communication)
2. Michael Whitcomb, M.D. (AAMC Senior Vice-President, Division of Medical Education)

• ORR Education session: Debt Management (Paul Garrand, AAMC Director Student Financial Aide Service)

• Fundamentals in Education Payments

• Community Service (Community Service recognition Award)

• The Spirit of Healing (G. Scott Morris, M.D.; Executive Director Church Health Center, Memphis)

• Panel Discussion: The resident's voice in the teaching institution (evaluation of different levels of interaction: resident-hospital, resident-teaching environment, resident-financial issues)

• Group Discussion:

1. House staff organizations
2. Right-sizing Residency Programs
3. Communication problems

• Business Meeting and ORR elections

• Joint session with group on Educational Affairs and Government representatives: " The legislative process and Medical Education"

• Mentorship Luncheon

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The ORR is very active in promoting resident education and training with the purpose of improving the quality of health care delivery. The AAMC fully supports these activities.

Many issues related to the resident environment were covered:

• Quality of resident life
• Quality of graduate medical education
• Communication strategies
• House staff organizations (unions)
• Down-sizing of residency programs
• Debt management for resident
• Planning for academic career

I discussed the current issues involving thoracic surgery residents

• Length of thoracic surgical and subspecialty training
• Timing of the General Surgery Boards
• TSDA project of a Prerequisite Curriculum

The ORR was extremely receptive to and supportive of these issues and expressed interest in future collaboration with the TSRA, TSDA, ACS and American Boards of General and Thoracic Surgery.

Antonio Laudito, M.D.

TSRA President

The Association of American Medical Colleges' (AAMC) Organization of Resident Representatives (Orr) held its 9^th annual meeting October 22-24, 1999 in Washington, D.C. The Orr is comprised of resident representatives from AAMC members of the Council of Academic Societies that represent either department chairs or program directors, accepting at least two representatives from each of the 24 general specialties recognized by the American Board of Medical Specialties.

The AAMC conference theme was "Closing the Gaps: A Resolution for the New Millennium." The residents followed suit by focusing their programming on community service and on leadership. Recognizing the important role physicians play in the community as healers and leaders, time was spent in skill building sessions on communication and in exploring medicine as a calling. Attention was also given to the health care financing system and debt management for residents.

G. Scott Morris, M.D., M. Div., Executive Director, Church Health Center, Memphis, Tennessee gave an inspiring talk on physician commitment to the community, and how he fulfills his mission through the Church Health Center. Dr. Morris was followed by the presentation of the first annual Orr Community Service Award to Sumi Makkar, M.D., a family practice resident at Georgetown University. Jordan J. Cohen, M.D., AAMC President was on hand to present the award and cash contribution to Casa Del Pueblo, a charity clinic of Dr. Makkar's choosing.

An afternoon open forum period was given over to small group discussions focusing on three "hot" topics. Summaries of these reports will be used by the incoming administrative board in the development of the ORR1999-2000 agenda.

• Houseofficer Organizations: what works and what doesn't.

• "Right Sizing" residency programs: what are the issues and what are possible resolutions.

• Communication and education: how can the AAMC best communicate its resources and information to the resident community, and educate residents about the process of and players in graduate medical education.

You may find out more about the Orr at <www.aamc.org/orr> or by contacting

Alex Ruffin, Senior Staff Associate, 202/828-0439 or alruffin@aamc.org