Keynote/Panel Sessions
THURSDAY (9:00 AM)
Dr. Pedro José “Joe” Greer
Chair of the Department of Humanities, Health & Society at Florida International University’s Herbert Wertheim College of MedicinePedro Jose Greer Jr., M.D.
Pedro J. Greer Jr. is a physician, professor, author, father and husband. Dr. Greer Jr. takes his Hippocratic oath seriously, his concern for those without access to health care have fueled his passion and allowed the creation of various free clinics for the homeless, undocumented, migrant and poor of Miami. As a medical intern (1984) he founded the Camillus Health Concern, now serving over 10,000 homeless patients a year. The clinic also serves as a model clinic for the poor, as well as a rotation for medical students. Due to the increasing number of undocumented aliens in the Miami area, he founded the Saint John Bosco clinic in 1991 and serves as its medical director. Medical students also rotate through this clinic, now located at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Miami, Florida. Currently, he is Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs at the Florida International University School of Medicine. He also enjoys a private practice of Gastroenterology at Mercy Hospital with his father. He also has been advisor to President Clinton and President Bush, Sr.
Better known as “Joe”, he has written a book entitled “Waking up in America”, published by Simon and Schuster. It is an autobiographical account of his early years, recounting stories from under the bridges in Miami to the White House. He has published over 25 articles and book chapters ranging from digestive disorders to issues of policy and poverty in America. He has been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox Family Channel, PBS, hosted a segment for the Travel Channel, HBO’s documentary “AMERICANOS”, the PBS/BBC series “Medicine at the Crossroads” and has been a guest on various talk shows.
He has been honored with three Papal medals “Pro Ecclesia ET Pontifica” and knighted as a Knight of Malta and the Order of Saint Gregory the Great. He is the recipient of many awards, including the highly prestigious MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, the Presidential Service Award, presented by Presidents Clinton, Bush, Carter and General Powell at the 1997 Presidential summit in Philadelphia. In 1994 he was named by Time magazine as one of Americas 50 young American leaders under 40.
The following year he received the CBS/Newsweek Achievement Award at the Kennedy Center. He was named the 1996 Doctor of the year for teaching by the magazine Hippocrates: Heath and Medicine for Physicians. Hispanic Magazine named him Hispanic of the year in December 2002. In 2005, he was honored as the Health Care Hero of the Americas by Pan American Health Organization in Washington, DC. He has lectured at such prestigious academic institutions as Harvard, Emory and the University of Florida, to name a few, and has been commencement speaker for New York Medical College, University of Miami (Law and Business Schools), University of Florida Medical School, East Tennessee State Medical School and Stonehill College as well as other undergraduate institutions. On August 12, 2009, he received the prestigious “Medal of Freedom” presented by President Obama.
He currently serves as a Advisory Trustee at the RAND Corporation (was a trustee from 1996-2006), a board member at BNY Mellon-United Bank of Florida, Chairman of the Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation in Washington, D.C., Comic Relief and other national organizations. He has served on the Board of Dr. Pepper/7-UP, Physicians for Human Rights and The Cuban –American National Council, to name a few. Dr. Greer did his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, Medical studies at La Universidad Catolica Madre and Maestra and all his postdoctoral studies at the University of Miami where he was Chief Medical Resident and a fellow in Hepatology (at the Center for liver Diseases under Eugene Schiff, MD), a fellowship in Gastroenterology earning two post-doctoral fellowships, a member of AOA (Honor Medical Society). He is currently in Fellow in the American College of Physician and the American College of Gastroenterology. He has received various Honorary Doctoral degrees. He is married to Janus and they have two children Alana and Joey, two cats and a dog and they live in Coral Gables, Florida.
FRIDAY
Panel Discussion: "Physicians Impacting Their Communities Through Service"
Facilitated by Charlie Clements, MD, a well-known human rights activist, public health physician, and former AMSA president (1979-1980) this one-of-a-kind session hosts a fascinating panel of outstanding physician leaders, discussing a number of intriguing topics. Included in the discussion will be Rishi Manchanda, MD, a primary care doctor in south central Los Angeles who founded the Rx Democracy! / Rx the Vote Campaign. This nationwide, nonpartisan effort sought to increase civic participation and voter turnout through health care and address health disparities. In its 2008 inaugural effort, Rx Vote coalition partners registered over 26,000 voters in clinics nationwide. Dr. Manchanda will discuss his work with patients and community groups to demonstrate that the best prescription for a healthy democracy is participation. Other topics will include health literacy and advocacy, street medicine outreach and representatives from Doctors Without Boarders will address physicians' impact on global communities.
SATURDAY (9:00 AM)
Kevin Fickenscher, M.D., CPE, FACPE, FAAFP
Vice President, Strategic Initiatives
Dell Perot Systems – Healthcare
AMSA National President, 1976-77
Session Title: The Future of Healthcare, The Role of Technology, The Impact on Physicians of the Future
Kevin M. Fickenscher, M.D., CPE, FACPE, FAAFP serves as the Executive Vice President of Strategic Initiatives for Perot Systems with $2.6B in revenues and, a major resource for healthcare management consulting and information integration with clients based throughout the world.
Dr. Fickenscher is a physician executive and leader with extensive experience in strategic and operational development in complex healthcare organizations. He has provided leadership for various organizations related to technology and information management, organizational transformation and development, physician management, health policy analysis, leadership development, clinical quality and resource/care management, among other areas. Dr. Fickenscher is considered to be a dynamic, visionary leader in healthcare throughout the world.
Before assuming his Strategic Initiatives role leadership role within Perot Systems, he served as the leader for International Healthcare based in London for two years and, as the Chief Medical Officer and lead for consulting services. Prior to serving at Perot Systems, Dr. Fickenscher served as the National Director and Partner for Clinical Transformation within the Global Health Solutions Group at Computer Sciences Corporation and as the Chief Medical Officer for a number of healthcare organizations, including: WebMD Corporation; Catholic Healthcare West, a regional healthcare system based in San Francisco, California; and, Aurora Health Care, a leading integrated health system in eastern Wisconsin.
Early in his career, Dr. Fickenscher pursued an academic career and served as the Founding Director of The Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota, a nationally recognized program dedicated to rural health service, research, and policy analysis, and as the Assistant Dean and President/CEO of the Michigan State University/ Kalamazoo Center for Medical Studies, one of six campuses for the MSU College of Human Medicine.
Dr. Fickenscher exhibited leadership skills early in his career when he served as the President of the American Medical Student Association. Dr. Fickenscher currently serves as a member of Skylight Corporation, a patient-focused information management organization; and, as Chairman of the Board for Advant, a company dedicated to providing coordinated, quality medical services for individuals seeking care throughout the world. He is a past member of the Providence Health System Board of Directors, the Catholic Health Initiatives Board of Stewardship Trustees, the Sisters of Charity Board of Directors, the Catholic Health Corporation Board (also, the first lay Chairperson of the Board), the Daou Systems, Inc. Board, and the Health Forum Board of Directors. He has in numerous other capacities including as the President of the National Rural Health Association and in multiple other capacities with national, state and local organizations such as the Board of Directors of the Health Research & Educational and Trust, an affiliate of the American Hospital Association.
In May 2007, Modern Healthcare ranked Dr. Fickenscher as No. 12 among The 50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare, 2007. He is a regular participant in discussions, debates, and presentations related to the future of healthcare throughout the world, including testimony before the U.S. Congress and participation in a variety of international healthcare forums. Dr. Fickenscher was awarded a Kellogg National Fellowship [1985] by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and served as the Health Advisor to the 1988 Biden for President Campaign. The Healthcare Forum and Korn/Ferry International recognized him nationally as one of six Emerging Leaders in Healthcare in 1991. He was also a Regional Finalist for The White House Fellows Program; Recipient of the North Dakota Leadership Award of Excellence; and, served on the Clinton healthcare task force reform efforts.
Dr. Fickenscher graduated from the University of North Dakota School of Medicine in 1978, obtained two years of family medicine training at the Residency Program in Social Medicine at Montefiore Hospital and Medical Center in The Bronx, New York, and completed his last two years of training through the University of North Dakota, while concurrently developing a rural health program. He obtained his Family Practice Board Certification in 1982, is a Certified Physician Executive and Fellow with the American College of Physician Executives; and, a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians.
SUNDAY
Panel Discussion: Threats to Professionalism in Medicine
Dr. Preston Reynolds will facilitate this intriguing panel discussion. Dr. Reynolds has spent more than 30 years as as physician-historian, studying efforts to eliminate discrimination and health disparities, and racially integrate hospitals and health professions training schools throughout the country. As a physician-educator, she has spearheaded local, state and national initiatives on Medical Professionalism through her work with medical schools and residency training programs as well as with national and international organizations. Dr. Reynolds is also a former AMSA president (1987-1988). Among the panelists, you will hear from Shahram Ahari, a former drug representative who has since converted to an anti-pharma industry activist and a first year medical student AMSA member at UC - Davis. Other topics addressed will include substance abuse and the impact of social media on a physician's professional image.