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President's Message:
Let's get strength in numbers as 25th Anniversary Symposium approaches
By Rey Ximenes, MD, FAAMA
President, AAMA
Well, another year has come and gone. The new year has brought many changes in our medical system. Some of these changes will affect us drastically, and some will not. Many of the changes will affect the way that we bill and the way that we process our medical records .
In order to ensure that some of these changes affect us in positive ways rather than negative, we will need to be able to offer our suggestions as to what is the proper way of doing this is. One of the ways that we can do this is to ensure that the AAMA stands strong with many members. There is strength in numbers.
Increasing Membership
The primary way that we can maintain and strengthen our numbers is to maintain our membership. Although we are holding strong with our membership it would be to our advantage to increase the number of active members. The most effective way that we can do this is for each of us to seek members in our community and encourage their membership.
If each of us were to bring in one new member, we could significantly increase our numbers. Look around in your community and see who is and who isn't a member of our organization. If you find someone who is practicing acupuncture as a physician, please encourage them to join. Many of them do not realize who we are and what we could do for them as an organization.
The AAMA Board of Directors has considered many methods of doing this. We realize this is of prime importance. Efforts have been made to encourage membership by increasing the number of journals put out every year.
Get Involved with the Academy
We have also considered incentives to encourage you as members to find new members. Thomas S. Burgoon, MD, DABMA, has initiated a Chairman's Challenge to promote this idea. See item in this issue and then more in upcoming e-mails. We have also looked at your suggestions as far as what the Academy can do for you, and we are striving to incorporate these into our organization to make the AAMA an organization that truly serves its members. We're also calling for nominees to the Academy's Board of Directors and committees. See the article in this issue.
We are also working diligently to upgrade and modernize our website in order to make it more useful to you. While this is a long and arduous task, we are making progress. While the website that we have is functioning fine, it can always use improvement. Many thanks should go out to Dr. Jay Horowitz and his wife, as well as Executive Administrator Jim Dowden, for their efforts.
25th AAMA Symposium
Also, the AAMA Symposium is right around the corner, May 2-5 at the Renaissance Harborplace Baltimore in Baltimore, MD. Make sure you are registered to get the best rate possible. This year's Symposium should prove to be one of the best as this is our 25th Anniversary, and special efforts have been made to ensure that we have a great Symposium.
We can all thank Chair Jay Sandweiss, DO, FAAMA, for his tremendous efforts in making this dream come true. It has truly been a labor of love on his part. Drs. Marshall Sager and Sandy Amoils have a special surprise for us all this year in commemoration of the 25th anniversary. I hope to see you all there.
Best wishes until then,
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Medical Acupuncture, Journal goes bi-monthly
With the beginning of 2013, AAMA achieved a major new milestone: the Academy's official Journal, Medical Acupuncture, goes from quarterly to bi-monthly – six times each year.
Vicki Cohn, executive vice president/managing editor of Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Publishers, delivered the good news late this fall. In the announcement, she reported, "The Medical Acupuncture Journal has really grown in stature the past few years, and it's clear that it's a valued membership benefit for AAMA members. We are preparing for our next Medline application, as well."
Cohn added, "In 2013, we are increasing the frequency to six issues per year due to increased volume and quality of submissions — it's a critical step in the upward progression, visibility and importance of the Journal. Also, librarians at medical schools and so forth feel that a quarterly journal in this day and age sounds very old fashioned and not timely."
By publishing two extra issues, AAMA members will be receiving 50% more content. "This is a vital step, and I trust that AAMA members will be 'on board' and supportive," Cohn concluded.
"This increase in number of issues delivered each year is a major step forward in the maturity and acceptance of medical acupuncture as a medical discipline in North America," noted AAMA Executive Administrator C. James Dowden.
Academy members receive the Journal free as part of their membership. Also, members have access to all back issues of the Journal published by the Mary Ann Liebert Co. when accessed through the Members Only section of the Academy's website.
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Register now for exciting Symposium in Baltimore, MD
Register now to save money on the special AAMA Symposium, "Celebrating 25 Years of Medical Acupuncture," May 3-5, 2013 at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace in Baltimore, MD.
"We will be continuing the tradition with great programming," said Chair Jay Sandweiss, DO, FAAMA. "Highlights include: National and international faculty; timely and useful clinically useful content, plenary, mini-workshops and indepth sessions. Hear the latest research, master clinical techniques and explore new systems."
Guest Faculty
Joseph Audette, MD; Steven K.H. Aung, MD; Dan Bensky, DO; Thomas Burgoon, MD, DABMA; Brodie Burris, LAc; Chip Chace, LAc; Peter T. Dorsher, MD; Mitchell Elkiss, DO, FAAMA; Michael Hammes, MD; Jan Hendryx, DO; Lixing Lao, PhD; Yuan-Chi Lin,, MD, FAAMA; Charles Moss, MD, FAAMA; Jay Sandweiss, DO, FAAMA, Louisa Silva, MD, FAAMA; Nader E. Soliman, MD, FAAMA; Wolfgang Weidenhammer, PhD and Rey Ximenes, MD, FAAMA.
Pre-Symposium Workshops
Chair Yuan-Chi Lin. MD, FAAMA, has lined up four Pre-Symposium Workshops on May2:
- Pre-Symposium Workshop I – "Engaging Vitality, Listening to Qi and Responding Effectively in Clinical Practice" Instructors Dan Bensky, DO and Charles (Chip) Chace, L.Ac
- Pre-Symposium Workshop II – "Auricular Medicine: A Clinically Effective Microsystem" Instructor Nader Soliman, MD, FAAMA
- Pre-Symposium Workshop III – "Introduction to 5 Element Acupuncture " Instructor Charles Moss, MD, FAAMA
- Pre-Symposium Workshop IV – From Energetics to Integration" Instructor Mitchell Elkiss, DO, FAAMA
Details on these can be found here.
Hotel Details
The 2013 Symposium will be held at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace, 202 East Pratt St., Baltimore, MD 21202. For reservations, call (410) 547-1200 or 800/535-1201 by April 7, 2013 for the AAMA group rate of $189 (sgl/dbl). Rooms at that rate will be available until the block is sold out or April 7, 2013 -- whichever comes first. Make your reservations now. Click here to reserve a room online.
Dinner Dance
New this year, the Dinner Dance has been included with the price of registration. So don't miss out. Make plans to join your peers for a fun-filled evening of delicious food, dancing and mingling in a festive setting at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace on Friday, May 3.
Contests
Don't miss Feb. 28 deadlines to enter the Poster Presentations, Research Paper Competition and Free (Oral) Paper competitions. Details on all three can be found on the Symposium website.
"This will be a great time in a great city," said Dr. Sandweiss. "Make new and renew professional social connections. You will find enjoyable opportunities to visit and socialize with colleagues."
Full details are posted on the AAMA website, along with online registration. Save money with regular registration rates available until March 31. .
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Nominees sought for AAMA Board of Directors
AAMA members interested in being considered for nomination to the Board of Directors are encouraged to contact Rey Ximenes, MD, FAAMA, to indicate their interest, along with a resume, by the end of March. Full members and Fellows are eligible to serve on the Board, which is responsible for developing AAMA policies and overseeing operations. Contact Dr. Ximenes at rey at tpsmc.com or send a note to: Chairman of the Nominations Committee, c/o AAMA, 1970 E. Grand Ave., Ste. 330, El Segundo, CA 90245 or fax to 310/364-0196.
Also, the Academy is looking for volunteers interested in working on AAMA committees. Among those seeking volunteers are the Symposium Program Committee and the AAMA Membership Committee. Click here for a list of committees and responsibilities of each. Contact Executive Administrator James Dowden (administrator at medicalacupuncture.org, 310/364-0193) if you have questions or are interested in becoming more directly involved in a committee.
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Call for entries for Poster Presentations
You have until Feb. 28 to submit Poster Presentations for the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture's Symposium 2013, in Baltimore, MD May 3-5, 2013.
Please follow all instructions carefully to allow your application to be fully considered. Space and time is limited. Posters must be submitted in English.
Application to make a Poster Presentation at the AAMA Symposium should be submitted no later than Feb. 28. An abstract (summary) of the proposed Poster Presentations should be submitted via email by Feb. 28, to administrator at 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 15, 2013.
AS PER CME REQUIREMENTS, ALL PRESENTERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMERCIAL DISCLOSURE CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM AS NO COMMERCIAL PRODUCT OR SERVICE OF ANY KIND IS ALLOWED AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION 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 Saturday, May 4, 2013 between 1-3 pm. Posters should be removed on Sunday, May 5, 2013 by noon. 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 Saturday, May 4, 2013 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 entries for Free Paper (Oral) Presentations
The Feb. 28 deadline is approaching to apply to present a Free (Oral) Paper at the AAMA Symposium 2013, in Baltimore, MD May 3-5, 2013.
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.
An abstract (summary) of a proposed Free Paper oral presentation should be submitted via e-mail by Feb. 28 to administrator at 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 presenters 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 CME REQUIREMENTS, ALL PRESENTERS MUST COMPLETE A COMMERCIAL DISCLOSURE CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM AS NO COMMERCIAL PRODUCT OR SERVICE OF ANY KIND IS ALLOWED AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION 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 entries for Research Paper Competition
Don't miss the Feb. 28 cut-off to apply to present a Research Paper at the AAMA Symposium 2013 in Baltimore, MD on May 3-5, 2013. 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.
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 Feb. 28. If your paper is selected as one of the winners, you will be notified by March 15, 2013. 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 Baltimore, MD, May 2013.
- 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 2012-'13 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 Feb. 28, 2013. 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.
AS PER CME REQUIREMENTS, AUTHORS OF THE FIRST PLACE PRIZE MUST COMPLETE A COMMERCIAL DISCLOSURE CONFLICT OF INTEREST FORM AS NO COMMERCIAL PRODUCT OR SERVICE OF ANY KIND IS ALLOWED AS PART OF THE PRESENTATION.
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 jdowden@prodigy.net 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 Feb. 28, to:
AAMA 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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Planners need your Symposium Photos
Committee members organizing special events to celebrate the 25th Anniversary AAMA Symposium are seeking your help. They are collecting photographs and memorabilia from the early Symposium meetings and Academy events. We are looking for any photos that members may have of the early meetings of the Academy -- any photos of speakers, conference delegates or other interesting related images. Please take a look to see what you might have that you can share with us, so the committee can consider using them in the celebration events being planned for the Baltimore Symposium.
Please contact Dr. Sandi Amoils (Sandi.Amoils at myhealingpartner.com) or Dr. Marshall Sager (dr.mhs at verizon.net), who are heading up the Celebration efforts, or send your photos to Executive Administrator Jim Dowden (administrator at medicalacupuncture.org).
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Members urged to promote the Academy to their peers, double the numbers
By Thomas Burgoon, MD, DABMA
Chair, Membership Committee
Member, Board of Directors, AAMA
I am sure that there physicians in your area who are practicing acupuncture who are not currently members of the Academy. They deserve to be members, and they would be a valuable part of our organization. Please look around your local region and identify the physician acupuncturists who should be a member of the Academy and invite them to join us.
In my experience, the most meaningful incentive for a fellow physician acupuncturist to join the AAMA comes from a colleague who is a member and shared their own reason for belonging and their experience of its benefits.
I am writing this article to ask you to make a special effort to recruit at least one fellow physician acupuncturist from your area. If each of us does this, our membership can double in the next year.
I ask you to please make this a special priority. It is a very important way that you can help support and promote physician acupuncture in the US.
Lastly, I want to say thank you for being a fellow Academy member and sharing this exciting path of integrating acupuncture with modern medical practice.
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AAMA looking for members to present webinars
The Academy continues to offer educational webinars as a value-add to membership in the organization and as such, needs your involvement.
If you have an interest in offering a webinar for the membership, please provide the title and a short summary for consideration by the Education Committee. Webinars are typically 45 minutes to an hour in length and can either be personal case presentations or literature reviews.
The Academy has hosted free webinars for members. "Getting Started: Setting Up an Acupuncture Practice" by Dr. Claudia Harsh; "How To Get Paid: Reimbursement Principles and Pearls for Workers Compensation and Accidents" by John P. Kohler, MD, FAAMA; "Billing 101 -- The Basics of Getting Paid," by Rey Ximenes, MD, FAAMA, "Acupuncture Trauma Protocol" by Mitchell Elkiss, DO, FAAMA; and "Advanced Auricular Therapy: Enhanced Clinical Results" and "Acupuncture Related Techniques for Sports and Pain Medicine," by Bryan L. Frank, MD, FAAMA, are posted in the Member Area of the AAMA website.
Watch the AAMA website for information on the next webinar.
Come be a part of the 21st Century education. Send suggestions to AAMA staff or Dr. Claudia Harsh (claudia.harsh at gmail.com).
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Physicians earn Board Certification in Medical Acupuncture
The following physicians 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):
Christopher N. Caragan, DO, of Austin, TX; Carolyn M. Matthews, MD, of Dallas, TX; Timothy O'Donnell, MD, of Danville,IN; Paru K. Pandya, MD, of New York, NY, and Sanjay Reddy, MD of San Francisco
The Academy has posted a list online of physicians 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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Physicians complete process for 10-year ABMA recertification
The following physicians have completed the process set by the American Board of Medical Acupuncture Board of Trustees to be recertified as a Diplomate for another 10 years:
Juan R. Alicea, MD, FAAMA, of Naranjito, Puerto Rico; Darushe Anissi, MD, of Pittsford, NY; Bruce R. Gilbert, MD, PhD, FAAMA, of Great Neck, NY; Glenn M. Ho, MD, of Arcadia, CA; and Ronald Rosen, MD of Bend, OR.
After 10 years, each candidate for recertification was 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 is no written examination required for recertification.
Applications for recertification should be submitted at least 60 days prior to the expiration of the original certification to assure sufficient time for Board review and approval. Each submission is submitted to the Board for review to confirm the adequacy of the Case Reports and to confirm that the continuing education requirements were met.
For those designees who are unable to complete the process by the expiration date, an automatic extension of up to three years is available upon request.
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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, "Comparison of the clinical therapeutic effects between electroacupuncture and warming needle moxibustion for knee osteoarthritis of kidney deficiency and marrow insufficiency pattern/syndrome," was published online by PubMed. Researchers compared electroacupuncture with moxibustion to treat knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Seventy-four cases of KOA were divided into an EA group and a warming needle moxibustion group, with 37 cases in each. They concluded that while both have advantages, the total efficacy of electroacupuncture is superior to moxibustion in treating KOA.
•The review article, "Can Acupuncture Improve Exercise Performance And Post-exercise Recovery?" was published in The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine (Jan. 14, 2013), a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers. A review of the literature uncovered four studies designed to test whether a person receiving acupuncture while exercising would have enhanced exercise performance and/or recover more quickly from an exercise session. They concluded that acupuncture could have a positive effect.
•The abstract, "Case-control study on application of auricular acupuncture for the treatment of analgesia during perioperative period in total hip arthroplasty," was recently published by Zhejiang Hospital of TCM in Zhejiang, China. Researchers investigated effects of auricular acupoint to treat analgesia during perioperative period in total hip arthroplasty in 60 patients with late osteonecrosis of the femoral head treated by hip arthroplasty. They concluded that auricular acupuncture can reduce postoperative pain, and the usage of analgesic and complications, as well as improve the function of hip joint after operation.
•The abstract, "Improvement in quality of life in depressed patients following verum acupuncture or electroacupuncture plus paroxetine: a randomized controlled study of 157 cases," was published in Neural Regeneration Research (September 2012, Vol. 7, Issue 27). Researchers evaluated whether or not acupuncture and electroacupuncture made improvements on patients with depression in 157 cases above those from concurrent paroxetine therapy. They concluded that acupuncture and electroacupuncture improved "the quality of life in depressed patients undergoing paroxetine treatment."
•An international research collaboration recently showed that acupuncture is an effective treatment for chronic pain in patients with chronic back and neck pain, osteoarthritis, shoulder pain, and chronic headache (Archives of Internal Medicine, Sept. 10, 2012). Researchers in England and the US analyzed data for 17,922 participants in 29 randomized trials measuring the efficacy of acupuncture on relieving chronic pains. They concluded that three million American adults are using acupuncture each year to ease chronic pain, but its clinical impact had never been convincingly demonstrated.
•The abstract, "Determining the Precise Cerebral Response to Acupuncture: An Improved fMRI Study," was published in PLoS One (Nov. 9, 2012). Researchers sought to obtain more precise cerebral fMRI mapping of acupuncture on 41 college students with myopia. The study showed that needling acupuncture point LR3 activates areas of the visual cortex. They concluded that "results provide more evidence regarding the credibility of acupuncture therapy."
•The abstract, "Neuroendocrine Mechanisms of Acupuncture in the Treatment of Hypertension," was published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Vol. 2012). With hypertension affecting 1 billion people, researchers reviewed the effects of acupuncture on the central nervous system and on the endocrine system to provide a perspective on treating hypertension. They concluded that acupuncture decreased blood pressure in hypertensive patients and in related animal models.
Please send information you find on research involving the efficacy of medical acupuncture to bart.ortberg@dowdenmanagement.com.
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AAMA Member News
Members participating in AAMA's referral program will be happy to hear that there were 1,803 unique visits to the website referral page in November 2012 and 1,744 visits in December 2012 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.
If you are a Full Member or Fellow of the AAMA with DABMA certification, you should be printing the Medical Acupuncture certification mark on your stationary, business cards or other listings to promote your special accomplishments in medical acupuncture. The certification mark is 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. The mark has been registered with the US Patent Office as a Certification Mark that is 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 at medicalacupuncture.org. Upon verification of your status, a jpg file will be sent to you.
The Society for Acupuncture Research 2013 Conference will be held April 19-21 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI. Visit http://www.sar2013conference.org/ for details.
Bryan L Frank, MD, FAAMA, Past-President of AAMA, taught an advanced seminar to the Croatian Medical Acupuncture Society in summer 2012. The seminar covered Integrative Pain and Sports Medicine and Advanced Auricular Therapy. Dr. Krunoslav Reljanovic hosted Dr. Frank and wife Cathie in Zagreb, followed by a tour to the ancient walled city of Dubrovnik. Dr. Frank will lead missions to serve those with little or no access to healthcare around the world in 2013. Join Global Mission Partners for a project in Nepal in April, Kenya in June, Ecuador in July, Mexico in September or India in October/November. Travel with a purpose in 2013 .This may be the most fun you have had in medicine in years. Information at www.GlobalMissionPartners.org or bfrankmd at hotmail.com.
The 10th International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology, "Translational Science in Integrative Oncology: "From Bedside, to Bench, to Best Practices," will be held in Vancouver, Canada, Oct. 20-22, 2013 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. It will be presented by the Society for Integrative Oncology and co-sponsored by the University of British Columbia Division of Continuing Professional Development, Faculty of Medicine and the University of British Columbia School of Nursing. The conference will include keynote speakers, plenary and concurrent sessions, and workshops that will highlight the latest research evidence, methodological issues and dialogue in the field of integrative oncology. Abstracts can be submitted until April 1.
Register by March 31 to save money on AAMA's 25TH Annual Symposium at the Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace in Baltimore, MD. The Review Course will be April 30-May 1, 2013, followed by Pre-Symposium Workshops on May 2, 2013, the Symposium May 3-5, 2013 and then the ABMA Exam on May 5, 2013. To book a room at AAMA's discounted rate of $199/night (sgl/dbl), call (410) 547-1200 or 800-535-1201 by April 7 and mention the AAMA Symposium.
Alternative Medicine Seminars has announced the spring 2013 schedule. Featured are basic and advanced seminars in auricular therapy, auricular medicine, three-phase hand acupuncture, and homeopathy for physicians and acupuncture practitioners. Also featured are weekend workshops for practicing the Vascular Autonomic Signal and auricular medicine protocols. For more information, visit the Academy's calendar of events or log onto www.alternativemedicineseminars.com.
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 International Council of Medical Acupuncture and Related Techniqes (ICMART) 2013 and 5th International Johannes Bischko Symposium for Acupuncture will be held Nov. 29-Dec. 1, 2013 in Vienna, Austria. For more information on 30 years of ICMART and 60 years of the Austrian Acupuncture Society, click here or visit http://www.icmart.org/.
Attention all DABMA designees: The ABMA is now into the second year of certification renewals. More recent Diplomates have been completing the renewal process quicker, as they are aware of the requirements and are prepared to meet them. As a reminder, you must document completion of 150 hours of continuing education credits in medical acupuncture-related courses at the time of re-certification. Those who are short are asked to complete those credits before your certification comes up for renewal.
The Academy has hosted free webinars for members. "Getting Started: Setting Up an Acupuncture Practice" by Dr. Claudia Harsh; "How To Get Paid: Reimbursement Principles and Pearls for Workers Compensation and Accidents" by John P. Kohler, MD, FAAMA; "Billing 101 -- The Basics of Getting Paid," by Rey Ximenes, MD, FAAMA, "Acupuncture Trauma Protocol" by Mitchell Elkiss, DO, FAAMA; and "Advanced Auricular Therapy: Enhanced Clinical Results" and "Acupuncture Related Techniques for Sports and Pain Medicine," by Bryan L. Frank, MD, FAAMA, are posted in the Member Area of the AAMA website.
The Institute for Integrative Health is accepting applications for Research Methods Training in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, March 18-24, at the Institute's headquarters in Baltimore, MD. The course's three modules are: Basic Study Design & Basic Statistics, March 18-21; Designing Pragmatic Trials, March 22, and Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analysis, March 23-24. Participants will learn to appraise clinical research and identify gaps, as well as to plan and perform their own study projects. Typically attracting participants from around the world, this interactive course fosters connections and dialogue. Selection is on a rolling, space-available basis. Participants will be chosen based on their qualifications and involvement or interest in clinical research in CAM.
As part of AAMA membership, members are being offered access to more than 400 journal articles categorized by disease/health application that promote the efficacy of acupuncture. Contact The Helms Medical Institute at mafp@hmieducation.com to obtain your unique password to access this information anytime. Then go to http://hmieducation.com/home and click on "Published Articles." Scroll down to "View Articles Not in the Public Domain."
The International Congress on Naturopathic Medicine (ICNM) will take place in Paris, France from July 7-9, 2013 at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Centre. ICNM will gather multi-disciplinary naturopathic physicians, therapists, professors and health care professionals from around the world, to improve patient care and define alternative healthcare.
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. Email Dr. Grout to get on the email list for meeting announcements.
Georgia
The Georgia Association of Medical Acupuncturists 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 member. For information regarding membership and seminars, contact GAMA President Carlos Parrado, MD, at parrado.pena@att.net.
Illinois
The goal of 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 Acupuncture is pleased to announce that Raphael Nogier, MD, has agreed to come back to Maryland in 2013 for another seminar. If you are interested, contact either President Joan Ordman, MD, FAAMA, or John Howard at the Maryland Acupuncture Clinic, www.mdacuclinic.com, (301) 515-7272.
The MSMA is planning the following upcoming speakers
1. Richard C. Niemtzow, MD, PhD, MPH, on his recent visit to China to discuss acupuncture with the Chinese Military. TBA
2. Dr. Nasir Bashirelahi, Professor, University of Maryland School of Dentistry on Nutrition for Antiaging.
3. Joan Ordman, MD, FAAMA, Inpatient Acupuncture treatments on the newly injured Wounded Warriors returning from the battlefield.
The Chapter 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 Dr. Ordman at jordman@aol.com to join MSMA.
Ohio
The Ohio Chapter hosted Dr Yun-tao Ma in October. Dr. Ma presented his approach to an "Integrative Dry Needling Approach for pain Management." The seminar was very well received.
The Ohio Chapter intends to hold more acupuncture seminars in 2013. Members would love to see more active participation of the current membership, as well as new members. Please join them and invite medical acupuncture colleagues. For more information or questions, contact President Dr. Steve Amoils at Steve.Amoils@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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Employment Opportunities
• Well-respected and established family acupuncture practice in Portland, ME interested in hiring an integrative medicine doctor. They have three TCM trained acupuncturists on staff and are ready to grow their practice over the next few years with a longer term vision of a complete integrative medicine center. Ideally, they are looking for a physician who also practices acupuncture. They would be interested in adding a primary care opportunity if the physician desired it, as well as making accommodations in their practice for other skills, such as osteopathic manipulation, etc. Their website is http://rockycoastacupuncture.com/index.php. Contact beth_herzig@yahoo.com for details.
Send your employment vacancy or position sought to bart.ortberg@dowdenmanagement.com for a free listing on AAMA's website.
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