AAP Delegate to the ORR: A Recap of the 2016 AAMC Annual Meeting
The mission of the Organization of Resident Representatives (ORR) is to improve resident physician education and training for the purpose of improving the quality of health care. The ORR is a committee within the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The ORR provides a platform for residents to provide input into the development of Association’s policy. It also provides leadership opportunities for residents interested in academic medicine and supports its members through professional development activities. Each eligible academic society appoints two residents for a two-year term, representing 46 residents from a large variety of geographical and medical backgrounds. The AAP resident delegates to the ORR this year are myself and Ryan Mattie.
Learn, Serve, Lead
All members of the ORR attended the 2016 AAMC Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, WA. The theme of this year’s meeting was “Learn, Serve, Lead”. I found the annual meeting to be a great networking experience and it brought together all the stakeholders who have significant influence and impact in academic medicine. There were insightful discussions about a myriad of complex issues that affect all aspects of academic medicine, with the dissemination of new concepts and tools for leading innovation and cultural change in academic medicine.
For ORR members, the week started with membership networking and Peer Module Presentations. Members of the committee prepared interactive learning sessions with topics including: residency and career transitions, unconscious bias and tips on how to be an effective facilitator. The opening plenary was an incredible presentation by presidential historian, Doris Kearns, on Leadership Lessons from the White House.
A major focus of the 2016 conference was exploring resilience, wellness, breaking cycles of negativity and preventing burnout. As has been discussed elsewhere, burnout continues to be a major health risk among trainees and practicing physicians.
In relation to burnout, the ORR reviewed and made official recommendations regarding the recent proposed changes to the ACGME Common Program Requirements Section VI. The focus of the discussion and recommendations from the ORR was on wellness for both residents and their families.
The proposed changes can be viewed on the ACGME website and are related to patient safety and supervision, professionalism, wellbeing, fatigue mitigation and clinical experience and education (Duty Hours). Members of the ORR felt that commitment to the well being of healthcare providers and their families will allow them to better care for their patients.
Other proposed changes included changing work hours for PGY-1 residents by eliminating the current 16-hour workday and replacing it with a 24-hour continuous clinical assignment limit, as is currently in place for upper level residents. The ORR voted to support this change with the addition of resources for resident wellness, and a focus on personal and family needs, as well as, provisions for improved maternity and paternity leave.
The next ORR event will be the Professional Development Conference, which occurs in Orlando, FL, from March 9–11 2017. It’s a great privilege to represent the AAP at the ORR and I’m grateful for the leadership experience. The ORR has two PM&R residents serving on the committee, with each delegate serving a two-year appointment. The next call for applications will be in May 2017 so please stay tuned for more information and consider submitting an application to serve in these exciting leadership and academic roles.
Venessa Lee, MD, is a third year resident in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the University of Utah. She serves as the AAP’s delegate to the Organization of Resident Representatives and is an ex officio member of the AAP Resident Fellow Council.
