·        Archives and History

·        Electronic Media and Communications

·        Ethical Issues in Military Medicine

·        Legislative and Legal

·        Medical Education

·        Membership

·        Professional Services

·        Recruitment and Retention

 

Archives and History

Goals

·        Maintain an oral history of SMCAF (in USUHS Library)

·        Reconstruct SMCAF archives (in USUHS Library)

·        Act as advisor and consultant to the publisher (Center for Military History) of “Medics of War” for the purpose of revising the manuscript.

·        Work with the Electronic Media Committee to place the Society’s important documents into electronic format.

 

 

 

Electronic Media and Communications

 Mission

To enhance the effectiveness of SMCAF operations by increasing the ease and speed of communications between members and members and various interest groups

 

Goals

·        Improve communications within the Council, Council to Membership communications, inter committee communications and committee to membership communications.

·        Facilitate committee work e.g., membership application processing.

·        Provide information to targeted user groups (e.g., recruitment and retention information for field recruiters).

·        Work with archives and history committee to place important documents into electronic format.

·        Organize and administer an electronic SMCAF newsletter to enhance overall communications.

·        Advise council on means to improve communications about SMCAF programs and activities to members and appropriate outside interest groups, politicians, etc.

 

 

 

Ethics Committee

Mission

To advise the Surgeons General and other representatives of the Uniformed Services on ethical issues related to the practice of military medicine.

 

Goals

In coordination with designated representative of the Military Medical Health Service:

·        Identify and resolve ethical issues relating to the practice of military medicine.

·        Establish policies for the ethical practice of medicine in military facilities in the U.S. and abroad.

·        Improve real-time communication capacity on ethics issues through the internet with deployed personnel at MEDACs throughout the world.

·        Create regularly updated educational opportunities in ethics for military medical personnel.

·        Study and make recommendations on resource requirements to enable services to support appropriate activities related to ethics.

 

Legislative and Legal

 Mission

  To be aware of current and potential legislative and legal issues (clinical, administrative or academic) that effect military medicine and advice the Council on these issues with recommendations for resolution. Work with other committee chairs to inform them of significant legislation affecting their individual areas of interest

 

Goals

·        Attend appropriate local meetings (e.g., TMC) and keep in touch with related military organizations in order to report to Council and to membership on significant pending issues or items of concern.

·        Work with Council and individual committee chairs in coordinating responses (e.g., white papers) to pending legislative challenges.

·        Recommend appropriate political activities that could be done by individual members in support of the mission of military medicine (e.g., calls, visits, or letters to legislators.)

·        Maintain a database of legislative contacts.

 

Medical Education

Mission

·        To assist the Uniformed Services’ Surgeons General and the President, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in identifying and resolving issues having an effect on “the lifeblood of military medicine…medical education

·        To help resolve the highest standards of education and training for military medical personnel

 

Goals

·        Work with USUHS and offices of Surgeons General to identify and resolve issues relating to recruiting to USUHS and HPSP student programs.

·        Identify and/or resolve issues related to the quality of military medical training in USUHS/HPSP programs.

·        Work with the Uniformed Service Surgeons General office , USUHS, and their specialty consultants to identify and resolve specific issues related to military continuing medical education (CME)         

·        Work with Council and Legislative and Legal Committee to create coordinated policies and plans to resolve identified issues in military medical education.

 

 

Membership

Mission

·        To process, through application, by way of nominating and seconding, proposals for membership within our society of appropriate physicians who have had prior active duty or have served in the Reserves of our Armed Forces, to include the Public Health Services and the Coast Guard

·        To solicit applications through nominations by members of the Society of their associates who fulfill the above qualifications for membership in the Society

 

Goals

·        Facilitate the nominations and applications by proper administration of the process.

·        Determine and recommend action on individual candidates by thorough review of their credentials.

·        Enhance recruiting efforts by working with Electronic Media and Communications committee to inform potential candidates of membership benefits.

·        Develop other recruitment strategies to attract new members.

 

 

Professional Services

Mission

To support and, when appropriate, advise the Armed Forces Surgeons General on clinical and operational issues of relevance to the practice of military medicine

Goals

In conjunction with the chiefs, medical corps, of the three services:

·        Appoint committee representatives (active SMCAF members) from all major clinical categories (surgery, medicine, operational medicine, pediatrics, women’s health, etc.) to act as a backup resource for the active duty consultants.

·        As the need arises, identify additional civilian and military experts, including active SMCAF members, to form ad hoc committees to advise on real-time issues.

·        Prepare resolutions, white papers and appropriate educational materials, when needed, to address issues in military medicine.

 

 

Recruitment and Retention

Mission

To serve as an advisor to the President of USUHS and to the Surgeons General for the purpose of identifying programs and policies that would enhance recruitment and retention of military physicians

 

Goals

·        Identify and enhance existing programs that improve recruitment and retention of physicians.

·        Identify and advise on existing programs that are disincentives for retention of military physicians.

·        Work with the Medical Education and Legislative and Legal Committees to develop programs and policies to improve recruitment and retention of physicians.

·        Identify and assign member leaders at medical centers throughout the country to assist local recruiting officials in interviewing and providing information about military medicine to college and medical students, residents and physicians.

·        Coordinate activities with the Electronic Media and Communication Committee to provide program information to recruiters and representatives in the field.

 

 

Conclusions

 

·        Committee charters now are available for reference by members and chairs. 

·        Please keep a copy and volunteer for your favorite “cause”.

·        Committee members and chairs should recommend appropriate changes.

·        It’s a living document