Home | Organization | Services | Member Benefits
Legislative | Socieconomics | Calendar | Contact & Proposals
News
Have a proposal for FOGS or looking for a service?
Use this link to contact our office.
More...
Thank You!
FOGS and the Florida Section ACOG recognize their corporate supporters
More...
Liability Issues Report
Please use this form liberally to report the related practice problems you are facing
The Form
On Call Medical Coats
FOGS has teamed up with On Call Medical Coats to offer our members quality embroidered labcoats
Shop for Coats
FOGS Endorsed Malpractice Carrier offering a 5% discount to FOGS members
More Info
Lubell & Rosen
FOGS Endorsed
Pre-Paid Legal Defense
More Info
Your practice could receive a dividend of up to 24.8% of your workers compensation premium.
More Info
The President's Report
Reds Murder Cardinals: Context, Perception and Reality => Fall 2004
Guy I. Benrubi, M.D.
In 1969, Europe and the U.S. were in the throes of a "counterculture" upheaval. On this side of the Atlantic, the populace was divided over the Vietnam War with massive anti-war demonstrations and counter demonstrations. France had undergone a semi-civil war culminating in the "revolution" of the worker and student movement in 1968. The armies of the Warsaw Pact had suppressed the "Prague" spring when tanks rolled into Czechoslovakia, Greece was a tinderbox as the "regime of the colonels" was being challenged by an underground movement. In Italy, the Communist Party was anticipated to win 40% of the vote in the next election.
This was also a time when many European academics came to the U.S. to further their careers. One of these was an Italian historian and bible scholar who came to teach at New York University. Shortly after his arrival, as he was walking past a newsstand, he saw a headline in the local tabloid which proclaimed "REDS MURDER CARDINALS." He immediately concluded that Italy had undergone a revolution and that the Italian communists had taken over the Vatican, and had put to death several members of the clergy. It was only after much concern and repeated calls to his homeland that he realized his perception was not reality. He was immensely relieved when his students explained that the headline referred to the Cincinnati baseball team defeating the St. Louis squad.
One hundred fifty years ago medicine in the United States was on the ropes. Those practicing the profession were divided into: the "regulars" – physicians who had been trained in medical schools; the "irregulars" – those calling themselves physicians, but whose training consisted of six week preceptorships with practicing physicians; "cultists" such as homeopaths; and "quacks." Facing a confusing array of possibilities, the public was not able to differentiate between excellence and quackery. The response of the "regulars" was to organize. In creating local, then state, and eventually national medical societies, the "regulars" created a network of organizations whose main function was to uphold standards as well as excellence of the profession. To an immeasurable extent, the edifice of American medicine, as it developed into a structure that became the envy of the world in the 20th century, was erected on the foundation created by the early medical societies of the mid-1800s. The quilt of organizations went hand in hand with the guarantee of high standards. Not too long ago, a physician who was a respected member of his or her local and state societies, as well as specialty college and subspecialty organization, would have been regarded as someone who had achieved most milestones of his or her profession. Many of these organizations would in fact allow admittance only after specialty certification was achieved.
During the last few years, however, a disturbing trend has become discernible. Many medical organizations are seeing no growth. Some have experienced declines in membership. When members are asked the reasons for non-renewal, most site economic factors. Some site a perception of lack of relevance of organized medicine to their professional lives.
When medicine "organized," it did so because individual solo practitioners realized that in order to have a say or "clout" about the evolution of their profession, they would have to form groups in order to be heard. It is the same today. The Florida Obstetric and Gynecologic Society is the one organization that can speak for obstetricians and gynecologists in Florida and have their concerns as its primary focus. Despite huge obstacles, we as an organization have achieved remarkable success. This will be an ongoing struggle for the rest of our professional lives. But we despair at our peril. Will WE fight for our profession, or will it be taken from US? Isn’t a first step in the attempt to guarantee the health of our profession the maintenance as well as sustenance of our professional organizations?