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President's Message: AAMA diverse membership offers many benefits by mingling seasoned needlers with newcomers
By Richard C. Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH
President, AAMA
Happy New Year 2011!
As I write this short column, 2010 draws to a close; the holidays are illuminating our lives, and shortly, 2011 will make its appearance in full splendor. Nothing will stop it from happening. You cannot wish it away or ignore it.
Suddenly, in somewhat of an off-key voice, you may find yourself singing Auld Lang Syne. Written by the famous poet, Robert Burns, who skillfully reminisces about “Old Long Ago,” friendship and love. What does this have to do with acupuncture and this newsletter? If you attended some of the AAMA Symposiums, I hope you have added new and exciting friendships in the past years.
There are many wonderful people who compose the Academy. There is excitement when meeting a new colleague who shares similar philosophies and values. For many of us, these friendships have had valuable intangible benefits. It can bring out the very best in ourselves and our acupuncture profession.
Academy’s Diverse Composite
Our organization is rich in the past and present. We have old timers who sharpened their own needles long ago and newer members wondering when the Academy will get on Facebook. We share the challenges of coding and insurance reimbursements. Some of us do it better than others. We need to learn from the more experienced.
Symposiums have provided us with invaluable educational opportunities. From the Symposia, we have observed that many members have taken on volunteer positions of leadership whose actions have helped benefit the membership. Click here to check out this year’s Symposium, “The Science and Art of Acupuncture,” March 31-April 2 at Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego, CA.
The journal, Medical Acupuncture, publishes articles from all over the world for you to read right from the comfort of your chair. Many of you have proudly published your first article here.
It is important that the Academy remembers the wisdom of the past, works on present challenges and has an eye to the future. Indeed, we are very complex organization. All of us practice acupuncture differently and that in itself makes us very strong as a group.
What AAMA Offers
Nevertheless, some of you may ask what do I get for my dues? It is certainly legitimate to ask. For some, it may never be enough no matter what the offering is. But for the majority of you, the Academy has helped you develope and in many cases become a leader. You are not stumped, but enjoying the acupuncture profession to its highest level.
I wish all of you the very best wishes for the New Year. Most important, I challenge you in 2011 to make the Academy part of your professional existence. Stand tall, be the leaders in your communities; integrate acupuncture into your specialties and help patients even more. In other words, be the medical leaders of today, tomorrow and support the Academy.
“And there's a hand, my trusty friend! And give us a hand o' thine!”
Best wishes,
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Call for Symposium Poster Presentations
Members are reminded to apply by Feb. 15 to present a Poster Presentation at the AAMA Symposium 2011, in San Diego, CA March 31- April 3, 2011.
Please follow all instructions carefully to allow your application to be fully considered. Space and time is limited. Poster Presentations must be submitted in English.
POSTER PRESENTATIONS
Application to make a Poster Presentation at the AAMA Symposium should be submitted no later than February 15, 2011. An abstract (summary) of the proposed Poster Presentations should be submitted via email by February 15, 2011, to administrator@medicalacupuncture.org with the e-mail subject line reading: AAMA Poster Presentation, in order to be properly received. Abstracts should have the title, author, affiliation, contact information and abstract body of no more than 250 words.
Poster Presentation Awards will be presented to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place presentations, with $750, $500 and $250 awarded, respectively. Awards will be announced at the close of the Symposium.
If your poster application is accepted, you will be notified by March 1, 2011.
AS PER CME REQUIREMENTS, NO COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENT OF ANY PRODUCT OF ANY KIND IS ALLOWED AND THIS WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUBMISSION.
Accepted Poster Presentations should be formatted on paper or laminated poster presentations measuring no greater than 48 inches tall and 72 inches wide (landscape formatting). Posters should be ready for mounting with pins or tape. Accepted Posters will remain on display in the Poster area and must be installed on Friday, April 1st between 1-3 pm. Posters should be removed on Saturday, April 2nd by 2 pm. Posters that are not removed by the stated time will be discarded.
There will be no organized or moderated discussions over posters. However, you should be available to offer your explanation to interested colleagues on Friday, April 1st at the Wine and Cheese reception at 5-7 pm. Please be present at that time, as Poster Presentation Award winners must be present to be eligible to win an award.
Those selected for Poster Presentations are responsible for their own transportation and housing costs and must pay Symposium registration fees in order to participate in the Poster Presentations.
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Call for Free Paper Presentations at Symposium
Don't forget to apply by Feb. 15 to present a Free (Oral) Paper at the AAMA Symposium 2011, March 31-April 3, 2011.
Please follow all instructions carefully to allow your application to be considered fully. While space and time are limited, we do expect a hearty number of great submissions. All Free Papers must be submitted in English.
FREE PAPER ORAL PRESENTATIONS
An abstract (summary) of a proposed Free Paper oral presentation should be submitted via e-mail by February 15, 2011 to administrator@medicalacupuncture.org with the e-mail subject line reading: AAMA Free Paper, in order to be properly received. Abstracts should have the title, author, affiliation, contact information and abstract text of no more than 250 words.
Free Paper topics may be clinical or research (basic or clinical) related. Those selected for Free Paper Oral Presentations are responsible for their own transportation and housing costs and must pay Symposium registration fees in order to participate in the Free Paper Presentation Sessions.
Free Paper Awards will be offered to up to three presentations based on the committee's sole judgement as to the quality of the paper, research and value as a contribution to the medical acupuncture scientific literature. Awards will be announced at the close of the Symposium. All paper authors and presentors will be listed in the final Symposium program.
Only computer and oral presentation is allowed (No overhead projectors, whiteboards or similar aids). Presentations for PC's (Windows 98 / 2000 professional / XP professional configurations) will be accepted, (no MAC, no UNYX). Please prepare and submit your presentation application using PowerPoint Version 2007 or XP standard. Pictures must be in the following format: jpg, gif, tif, or .bmp (format pict is not allowed as it will not be displayed correctly).
AS PER USA AMA REGULATIONS, NO COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENT OF ANY PRODUCT OF ANY KIND IS ALLOWED AND THIS WILL DISQUALIFY ANY SUBMISSION.
Please, save the presentation on a CD or USB flash disk.
Standard PCs will be provided with OS Windows XP (1,136 GHz processor). The PC projectors project at XGA resolution (1024 x 768 pixels).
You will NOT use your own laptop. Rather, you should bring the file in the manner described above.
All speakers should bring media with their presentation to the technician AT LEAST TWO HOURS BEFORE THE START OF THEIR SESSION.
Time allocation for the Free Oral Papers is 20 minutes. The speaker should present for 15 minutes and allow 5 minutes for questions. The Session Chairperson will announce the 15- and 20-minute times and will stop the presentation at the 20-minute time, even if the presentation is not complete.
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Call for Research Papers at AAMA Symposium
Members are reminded to apply by Feb. 15 to present Research Paper at the AAMA Symposium 2011 on March 31-April 3, 2011.Please follow all instructions carefully to allow your application to be considered fully. While space and time are limited, we do expect a hearty number of great submissions from our international colleagues. Further, international submissions have often won awards for our Poster Presentations and Research Papers at our Symposia for many years. All Free Papers, Poster Presentations, and Research Papers must be submitted in English.
RESEARCH PAPER COMPETITION
This is a call for entries for the annual Acupuncture Research Paper Award. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd-place awards will be presented at the AAMA Symposium. The deadline for submission of research papers for the competition is February 15, 2011. If your paper is selected as one of the winners, you will be notified by March 1st, 2011. We are pleased to offer:
First Place: $1,500, Symposium Registration, travel to $500, and three night's hotel lodging for the presenting author. Paper to be presented at AAMA Symposium in San Diego, CA, April 2011.
Second Place: $750, Symposium Registration, travel to $500.
Third Place: $350 and Symposium Registration.
The First Place winning paper is to be presented in a 30-minute Plenary Session at the Symposium. Papers for second and third place to be announced at the Symposium. Authors will be acknowledged there.
RULES
Submissions must be original work, in either clinical research or basic biochemical or physiological research pertaining to acupuncture. The work must not have been previously published. Work completed and accepted for publication during the 2010-11 year period will be considered, if the publishing journal will allow presentation at AAMA Symposium.
Papers should include the name and degree of the principle author and any coworkers, the institution or affiliation (if any), mailing address and telephone/fax numbers. E-mail addresses are desirable but not mandatory.
Submissions should be received by February 15, 2011. Beyond that date, due to judging time and notification needs prior to the spring Symposium, papers cannot be guaranteed acceptance for this year.
Submissions will be judged and rated on originality, suitability for publication, research design, and clinical or basic science relevance.
If human subjects are involved in the research, proper informed consent must have been obtained and approval of appropriate institutional review committees obtained, where applicable.
All submissions must be in English. All proprietary rights to the research work are reserved to the author(s), including future right to publish any and all aspects of the research.
Acknowledgement of receipt of the submission will be sent within 15 working days. The AAMA Board of Directors will assign a panel of judges. Winners will be selected at the sole discretion of the judges and the AAMA Board. Winners will be notified in adequate time to attend the spring Symposium.
The paper may be submitted via email, though the AAMA assumes no liability or responsibility for papers not received. E-mail submissions should be sent to administrator@medicalacupuncture.org with the e-mail subject line "AAMA Research Paper Award Contest," in order to be properly received and considered for the Research Paper Awards.
Hard copies of the paper may be sent to be received by February 15, 2011, to:
Research Award Contest
c/o C. James Dowden, Executive Administrator
1970 E. Grand Ave., Ste. 330
El Segundo, CA 90245
310/364-0193
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Register by Feb. 1 for early bird fees on Symposium
Some Highlights of 2011 Symposium and an Addition to the Program
By Richard F. Hobbs, III, MD, DABMA
Chair, AAMA Symposium 2011
Consider registering now for what promises to be an extraordinary 23rd Annual Symposium, March 31-April 3 at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay in San Diego. In fact, sign up by Feb. 1 and you’ll save money with early bird registration fees.
The annual Review Course will take place on Tuesday, March 29 and Wednesday, March 30. This is a particularly helpful program for those planning to take the Board Examination, but is also beneficial for all who feel a need to brush up on their knowledge and skills.
On Thursday, March 31, four outstanding Pre-Symposium Workshops will be presented:
1) “Classical Acupuncture Made Easy”
Richard Tan, OMD, LAc, creator of the Balance Method, will provide tools for obtaining rapid results using easily understood principles from classical acupuncture.
2) “Neuro-Anatomical Acupuncture in Orthopedic Medicine”
Joseph Wong, MD, FAAMA, will teach techniques that combine TCM philosophy and modern, scientific analysis as means for developing powerful treatment plans for orthopedic conditions.
3) "Combining, Integrating Western and Chinese Nutritional Therapies”
Uwe Siedentopp, MD, will bring together concepts from Chinese nutritional therapy, Chinese herbal medicine and western nutritional therapy to provide a framework that participants will be able to use in their practices.
4) “Auricular Acupuncture”
Terry Oleson, PhD, will teach the basics of auricular acupuncture, including diagnosis and treatment.
In all instances, the four presenters are exceedingly well known as authors, educators and practitioners. No matter which Pre-Symposium Workshop you attend, healthcare practitioners will come away with skills that will enhance their practice.
Mixing Science & Art
The 2011 Annual Symposium has as its theme, “The Science and Art of Acupuncture.” This reflects the fascinating admixture of the modern science and ancient art that comprise medical acupuncture. These aspects will be poignantly addressed at the beginning of the Symposium when Steven K.H. Aung, MD, speaks on the physician acupuncturist as healer, followed by Lixing Lao, PhD, and Emmeline Edwards, PhD, first discussing recent acupuncture research and its implications and then what the future holds. And this is just the beginning. Every plenary lecture, every workshop, continuing with the theme, promises to be interesting and, in the case of workshops, to provide take-home skills.
Billing & Coding Issues
The Academy is pleased to announce an addition has been made to the program: On Sunday afternoon, a round table discussion will be held on billing and coding issues. This will be led by Samuel A. Collins, director of the HJ Ross Network, a consulting group for doctors on billing and insurances. He s well known for his column in Acupuncture Today, “Ask the Billing Expert.” The AAMA recently developed a Billing and Coding Fact Sheet that will be introduced to the membership at the Symposium. The round table discussion will be a great opportunity to ask questions in reference to this document.
In addition to the formal educational program, Academy members will have great opportunities to socialize and to replenish the Qi. On Thursday evening, March 31, there will be a reception to honor the Diplomates of the American Board of Medical Acupuncture. This reception is open to all who attend the Symposium and is a great time to make new acquaintances and reconnect with old friends.
On Friday evening, there will be a Wine and Cheese Reception and a Poster Session. In addition, during this time, Dr. Aung has kindly agreed to perform Chinese calligraphy, with his works being sold for the benefit of the Academy. This is a wonderful opportunity to own an extremely beautiful, personalized, work of Chinese calligraphy created by one of our own. Dr. Aung also will lead Qi Gong sessions early on Saturday and Sunday mornings, as well. Of course, on Saturday evening, we will have our annual Awards Ceremony and Banquet. This will be an occasion to let your hair down, so don’t miss it!
Just a reminder, too, that our Annual Membership Meeting will take place at noon on Saturday. We encourage all members to attend. This will be your chance to hear what the Academy has been doing on your behalf.
Lots of interesting and fun things tied up in this program, right to the very end. We hope you will enjoy every bit of it and come away with not just new knowledge and skills but renewed energy, as well.
Please, if you have not already, check out the program on our website, and register for a great Symposium.
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ABMA recertification process set for those approaching 10-year deadline
The ABMA Board of Trustees has finalized procedures for recertification for those designees who are approaching the 10-year recertification deadline. The first of those will be up for recertification by June 30, 2011.
Each candidate for recertification will be required to submit the following:
· Application for recertification.
· Copy of current active medical license.
· Documentation of 150 hours of continuing education credits in medical acupuncture since certification. CME credit is preferred. Topics must be primarily acupuncture. Independently awarded CEU credits may be acceptable, at the discretion of the Board.
· Submission of two written Case Reports on actual cases treated to demonstrate continued knowledge and proficiency in the discipline. Specific Case Report Guidelines will be provided.
· Payment of a recertification fee of $250.
There will be no written examination required for recertification.
Applications for recertification will be accepted up to three months prior to the expiration of the original certification. Each submission will be submitted to the Board for review to confirm the adequacy of the Case Reports and to confirm that the continuing education requirements are met. If all requirements are met, the Board will grant a new 10-year certification.
The recertification application form and case report guidelines will be posted to the AAMA website shortly.
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Medical Acupuncture Research News
The following is a review of reported research results and related news recently announced or released through Internet outlets:
·The abstract, “Randomized Controlled Trial of Patching vs Acupuncture for Anisometropic Amblyopia in Children Aged 7 to 12 Years,” was published online in the Archives of Ophthalmology (Vol. 128, No. 12, December 2010). The study compared daily patching for two hours with acupuncture in treating anisometropic amblyopia. Participants were 88 children, 7-12 years, with an amblyopic eye, who had worn optimal eyeglasses for at least 16 weeks. Researchers found that acupuncture produced equivalent treatment effect for anisometropic amblyopia, compared with patching, and was statistically superior. Further studies are warranted. Click here for details.
·Controversy arose from, “Acupuncture for Chronic Low Back Pain,” published in the New England Journal of Medicine (July 29, 2010). Doctors concluded that acupuncture is effective for treating lower back pain, based on a recent study of 6,359 patients published in Spine. Patients with lower back pain account for $90 billion in annual health care expenses in the US. Skeptics were outraged at New England Journal of Medicine supporting acupuncture. A post in Forbes “science business” section called the article “embarrassing” and said acupuncture “infiltrates” the University of Maryland Medical School. Attacking the NIH, the author called acupuncture “pseudoscience” based on “magical thinking of non-existent life-force.” Click here for details.
· The abstract, “Complementary and Alternative Therapies for Back Pain II,” was published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (October 2010). Authors reviewed 270 studies with adults 18 and older on the efficacy, safety, and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture and other treatments. They found the benefits of acupuncture and other complementary and alternative therapies for back and neck pain are modest but provide more benefit than usual medical care. Researchers concluded there is some evidence showing acupuncture is more cost-effective than usual care to treat chronic back pain. They also found acupuncture is a viable treatment for acute, subacute, and chronic low-back pain. Click here for details.
·New research added more evidence that acupuncture is effective at reducing and eliminating pain. Presented at the Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America in November, new findings include functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans that show a positive change in metabolic activity of patients' brains receiving acupuncture treatment. Researchers applied electrical pain stimuli to participants' left ankles and observed their brain activity with and without acupuncture. The team found that the pain activation centers in participants' brains became less active and even deactivated with acupuncture. Click here for details.
· The abstract, “How large are the nonspecific effects of acupuncture? A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials,” was published in BioMed Central (Nov. 23, 2010). Thirty-seven trials with 5,754 patients involving acupuncture for any condition, including both sham and no acupuncture control groups, were reviewed. Researchers investigated the size of nonspecific effects associated with acupuncture. They concluded that sham acupuncture interventions associated with moderately large nonspecific effects could make it difficult to detect small additional specific effects. Compared to inert placebo interventions, effects associated with sham acupuncture might be larger. Click here for details.
·For the first time, the World Health Organization (WHO) will develop a classification of traditional medicine, paving the way for the objective evaluation of its benefits. The International Classification of Traditional Medicine project will assist in creating an evidence base for traditional medicine — producing terminologies and classifications for diagnoses and interventions. There will be an interactive Web-based platform to allow users from all countries to document terms and concepts used in traditional medicine. The classification will initially focus on traditional medicine practices from China, Japan and the Republic of Korea that have evolved and spread worldwide. Click here for details.
·The abstract, “Laser stimulation of acupuncture point P6 reduces postoperative vomiting in children undergoing strabismus surgery,” was published in the British Journal of Anesthesia (81[(4]: 529-532 doi:10.1093/bja/81.4.529). The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of laser acupuncture involved acupuncture point P6 in the treatment of postoperative vomiting in children. Researchers concluded that laser acupuncture reduces vomiting by 60% for children undergoing strabismus surgery. They noted that the timing of acupuncture is of key importance. Click here for details.
Please send information you find on research involving the effectiveness of medical acupuncture to bart.ortberg@dowdenmanagement.com.
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AAMA Member News
AAMA’s 23rd Annual Symposium will be March 31-April 1-3, 2011. The Review Course will be on March 29-30, 2011, the Pre-Symposium Workshops on March 31, 2011 and the ABMA Certification Exam on April 3, 2011. The location will be at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, 1441 Quivira Road in San Diego, CA. For the AAMA discounted room rate of $189/night (single/double) pending availability, call the hotel by Feb. 28, 2011 at 619/224-1234. Click here for the recently launched Symposium site, and watch for registration details coming soon.
The Syllabus for the Academy’s 2010 Symposium and Pre-Symposium Workshops in Orlando, FL are available for purchase. Click here for an order form.
Check out Global Mission Partner opportunities in 2011: Join Bryan L Frank, MD, FAAMA, past president of AAMA (1999-2001) for some tr avel with a purpose. Projects in 2011 include Nepal Feb. 18-March 2, Ecuador in June, Kenya in July, Mexico in September and India in November. Plan in advance; click here for an application. Click here for photos from 2010. GMP encourages physicians, dentists, therapists, nurses and non-medical general volunteers to help those with little or no access to health care. Dr. Frank says this may be the most fun you’ve had in medicine in years.
Helms Medical Institute announced that Munich Acupuncture Days will be held April 15-18, 2011, sponsored by the German Medical Association of Acupuncture (DAGFA). The event will be a unique and intimate clinical experience with teachers from Munich, Harvard and Stanford. For details, click here, call 781/391-7518 or e-mail jaudette@partners.org.
All AAMA members should remember to register and participate in the 2011 IMCART Congress, The State of the Art of Acupuncture in Integrative Medicine, May 12-14, 2011 in The Hague, Netherlands. ICMART continues, along with the AAMA, to advance education and training standards for medical acupuncture and the privileges of medical acupuncturists around the globe. The International Congresses are a great way to both participate and teach, present a poster, and learn about the status of medical acupuncture with international colleagues.
The UCSF Osher Center for Integrative Medicine is now recruiting for a postdoctoral fellowship position to begin in July 2011. The application deadline is Feb. 1, 2011. Training in Research in Integrative Medicine (TRIM), is a post-doctoral program funded by a T-32 Training Grant from The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NIH/NCCAM). Click here for information about The TRIM program and the application process.
The Medical Acupuncture Review Course is available on DVD. Visit the AAMA Store to purchase this valuable learning tool.
Patrick J. Lariccia, MD, of Springfield, PA, a long-time AAMA member, will be featured in the 2011 edition of Who's Who in America.
Members participating in AAMA's referral program will be happy to hear that there were 2,359 unique visits to the website referral page in November 2010 and 1,902 unique visits in December 2010 from patients seeking medical acupuncturists in their area. Members interested in participating in the Patient Referral Program should visit the physician listings online to verify that they are listed. Only Practice level members are eligible to participate and the Academy staff needs explicit notice to include a member in the program.
Nader E. Soliman, MD, FAAMA, president of Alternative Medicine Seminars, has announced spring dates for 2011. Spring activities will include seminars in "Auricular Therapy,"' "Auricular Medicine," "3 Phase Hand Acupuncture," "Xerostomia" and "Battlefield Acupuncture." Activities will also include special sessions for practicing of the VAS "vascular autonomic signal" and the clinical practice of auricular medicine protocols, as well as seminars on homeopathy designed to empower alternative medicine approaches. AAMA members will get 10% off all spring seminars. For details, look in Events Calendar of the Academy's website or visit www.alternativemedicineseminars.com
The International Conference on Integrative Care for the Future will be held March 11-12 outside of Amsterdam, Netherlands. The conference will open with a half-day Round-Table Symposium at which an international panel of health policy leaders will discusses the fiscal, organizational and policy challenges confronting integrative care. This will be followed by a full-day Plenary Session, when experts from around the world will discuss the state of integrative oncology in their regions. For details, log onto http://www.integrativecareftfuture.org/.
Long-time AAMA member Warren P. Bagley, MD, FAAMA, 59 of Maryville , TN, died Sept. 4, 2010. He was born April 11, 1951 in St. Louis, MO. He was boardcertified in Anesthesiology and medical acupuncture, and was appointed a Fellowof AAMA in 2006. He was an assistant professor of Anesthesia at UTMCK; belonged to AAMA, the American Society of Anesthesiologists, International Anesthesia Research Society, and was a Life Endowment member of NRA. He is survived by his wife of 20 years; Elizabeth Gilmore and many family members. Click here for details.
AAMA reminds members who meet special qualifications in Medical Acupuncture about the certification mark to convey their accomplishments. The certification mark will be available only to Full Members and Fellows of the AAMA who are currently Board Certified by the ABMA. See the image of logo posted online. An application has been submitted to the US Patent Office to register this Certification Mark so that it will be available for the exclusive use of those who meet the specified credentials. See the Certification Mark Guidelines posted online for standards on how the mark should be used in printed materials including acceptable type face, size, color, etc. For an electronic copy of a reproducible jpeg copy of the logo to provide your printer, Full Members and Fellows who are currently Board Certified through the ABMA may send a request to administrator@medicalacupuncture.org. Upon verification of your status, a jpg file will be sent to you.
Acupuncture is becoming mainstream, with treatments found in all ways of life now. Click here for details on 40 National Football League players in four cities getting needled to feel loose and more flexible.
The Medical Acupuncture for Physicians 300 CME-hour course will be held April 28 – Sept. 25 in Tempe, AZ with Joseph Helms MD, et al from the Helms Medical Institute. Visit http://hmieducation.com/ for details.
Editor-in-Chief Dr. Richard Niemtzow of the journal, Medical Acupuncture, is seeking volunteer reviewers to review manuscripts. Reviewers will access manuscripts online. Reviews must be completed and returned within one business week. Reviewers successfully completing a series of timely, high-quality reviews may be invited to join the Editorial Board (at the discretion of the editor in chief). Please send brief qualifications and contact information to n5ev@aol.com.
The Association of Perinatal Naturopathic Doctors (APND) is comprised of licensed naturopathic doctors with a special interest in perinatal health care. On April 2-3, they are hosting a weekend seminar at the Michener Institute in Toronto, Canada with David W. Miller, MD, LAc, entitled "When Shen Encounters Jing: Exploring Pediatrics from Eastern & Western Perspectives." Visit www.apnd.org and click on "Events" for details.
The Academy has a limited number of the book, “Getting to Know You,” by Joseph M. Helms, MD, in stock. While they last, Practice members can purchase them at the discounted price of $20, plus $5.50 postage and handling. Click here to download an order form.
Jay Sandweiss, DO, FAAMA, will lead the seminar, Integrative ManualApproach to Lower Extremity Pain and Dysfunction, Jan. 29-30 in Ann Arbor, MI, followed by, Integrative Manual Approach to Low Back & Pelvic Pain and Dysfunction, Feb. 19-20 in Victoria, Australia. For details, visit www.doctorjaysandweiss.com.
As part of AAMA membership, practice members are being offered access to more than 400 journal articles categorized by disease/health application which promote the efficacy of Acupuncture. Contact Karyn Scurti at mafp@hmieducation.com to obtain your unique password to access this information anytime. Then go to www.hmiacupuncture.com and click on "LINKS."
Please send news items and photos to bart.ortberg@dowdenmanagement.com.
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AAMA Chapter News
Arizona
Arizona Chapter meetings are held at 9 am the second Saturday of the month at Dr. Martha Grout’s office, Arizona Center for Advanced Medicine, 9328 E. Raintree Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85260. For details, call 480/240-2600 or e-mail drmartha@arizonaadvancedmedicine.com. There are monthly speakers on topics related to medical acupuncture, as well as Chinese and Functional/Integrative medicine. E-mail Dr. Grout to get on the e-mail list for meeting announcements.
California
Chapter officers are working hard to come up with innovative ideas for CME credits. They are continuing their membership drive to make the Chapter stronger. Academy members interested in joining the California Chapter are encouraged to contact President Haleh Sheikholeslami, MD, at calchapaama@hotmail.com.
Georgia
The Georgia Association of Medical Acupuncturists’ 9th Annual Educational Meeting will be April 15-17, 2011 at the midtown Atlanta Loews Hotel. Lonny Jarrett will speak on, " Evolutionary Perspectives on Five Element Acupuncture." This meeting has been approved for 21 CME's by AAMA.
GAMA invites everyone to visit their website to learn more about their organization’s philosophy, mission, events and much more. Their site includes a “Member” page, which includes contact information for each GAMA members. For information regarding membership and seminars, contact GAMA President Anna C. Kelly, MD, at 404/255-8388 or annakellymd@gmail.com.
Illinois
The goal of current President, Lorene Wu, MD, DiplAc and Secretary/Treasurer, Anthony DeLorenzo, DO, is to provide education and support to members. They plan to interface more with the wider acupuncture community by serving on the Illinois Acupuncture Board and by attending meetings of the local acupuncture society.
Meetings are held every other month at Memorial Hospital in LaGrange, IL.
Maryland
The Maryland Society of Medical Acupuncturists offers educational programs and wants to increase participation. Treat yourself to a nice evening. It is free, and members whose dues are paid receive a nice free meal. The lecture is on the Chapter. Contact Chapter President Stephen Burns, MD, at stephen.burns@andrews.af.mil to join MSMA.
Ohio
An educational event is in the early planning stages. Dr. Yun-Tao Ma is scheduled for Oct. 29, 2011 at the Alliance Institute for Integrative Medicine in Cincinnati, Ohio. More details will follow.
Ohio Chapter members would love to see more active participation of the current membership. Please join them and invite medical acupuncture colleagues. For more information or questions, contact Liz Woolford, MD, at Liz.Woolford@myhealingpartner.com.
New Jersey & Pennsylvania
John Kohler, MD, FAAMA, is the president of the Pennsylvania Chapter. Visit www.pamedicalacupuncture.com/ for details on this chapter.
Click here for an up-to-date listing of AAMA Regional Chapter officers, their contact information, Websites and members. Think about joining a Chapter to learn more about medical acupuncture specific to your area. And if there’s not a Chapter in your region, please consider forming one by contacting Jim Dowden, AAMA executive administrator, at administrator@medicalacupuncture.org. Chapters provide fellowship, professional camaraderie, education and curbside consults.
Chapter representatives, please send your news and photos for the AAMA Newsletter via e-mail to bart.ortberg@dowdenmanagement.com.
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Members earn DABMA certification
The following AAMA members recently met the stringent requirements of the American Board of Medical Acupuncture (ABMA) and have achieved Board Certification in medical acupuncture. They have earned the designation DABMA (Diplomate, American Board of Medical Acupuncture):
Susan Cocke, MD, of Fullerton, CA and Rosalie Tassone, MD, of Chicago, IL
The Academy has posted a list online of members who are Board Certified. Diplomates (DABMA) are listed alphabetically by last name, along with their location, and dates of expiration.
Click here for more on the Board Certification process.
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