Report on the 2013 C. Frank Webber Lectureship

Family physicians gather in Austin for annual lectureship and interim session

posted 03.06.13

Over 400 physicians, residents, and medical students congregated at the Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark to attend events surrounding this year’s C. Frank Webber Lectureship and Interim Session, Feb. 28 – March 2. The packed weekend included CME lectures, two ABFM SAM Group Study Workshops, TAFP business meetings, the Texas Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Students, and the Clerkship and Residency Coordinators Conference.

Throughout the weekend TAFP interacted with members and attendees through Facebook and Twitter. Search our hashtag–#TAFP–on Twitter to see tweets surrounding the weekend’s events or go to twitter.com/TXFamilyDocs. There is also a Facebook album of all photos taken during the weekend on our Facebook page, here.

View the 2013 C. Frank Webber photo gallery.

The first SAM Group Study Workshop of the weekend was held Thursday, giving diplomates of the American Board of Family Medicine a chance to get credit for the Self-Assessment Module portion of their Maintenance of Certification. Attendees discussed mental health in the community and completed the 60-question knowledge assessment portion of the module, making them eligible to complete the clinical simulation online to receive full credit.

Thursday also included TAFP’s Legislative Action Day, where a group of members met with TAFP CEO Tom Banning, as well as other TAFP staff, to discuss current issues facing family medicine before walking to the Capitol and meeting with their local lawmakers as a face for the specialty.

Friday’s CME lectureship featured speakers on a wide array of topics, including diabetes, allergy and asthma, fracture prevention, and more. For the first time, attendees were able to complete their evaluation survey and CME recording form not only on paper, but also online.

The Clerkship and Residency Coordinators Conference also took place Friday. Coordinators from across the state listened to TAFP staff give an update on the 83rd Texas Legislature, as well as a quick briefing on how to use social media. They were also given an update on licensing by the Texas Medical Board, and discussed clerkship-related curriculum and new SAM requirements for residents. TAFP member Joane Baumer, M.D., ended the conference with education updates for medical schools.

The second SAM Group Study Workshop was held Saturday and covered heart failure. TAFP also hosted the Texas Conference of Family Medicine Residents and Students on Saturday, giving medical school students and residents a chance to learn about the specialty. TAFP Past President Robert Youens, M.D., debunked the myth that you can’t make a good living in family medicine. The attendees were then able to interact with a panel of four TAFP members in different areas of primary care practice. These physicians were Terrance Hines, M.D.; Adrian Billings, Ph.D., M.D.; Christina Kelly, M.D.; and Emily Briggs, M.D. The student and resident conference ended with an interactive Procedures and Residency Fair, giving attendees the opportunity to talk to representatives of residency programs from around the state, as well as practice various procedures.

TAFP commission, committee, and section meetings took place Friday and Saturday, and included discussions on multiple aspects of the family physician practice and policy that will guide the Academy. Banning updated the Commission on Legislative and Public Affairs Friday night, informing them of the activity thus far of the 83rd Legislative Session. The Commission put forth a motion that the Academy support Medicaid expansion to meet the health care needs of underserved Texans, which was approved Saturday night by the Board of Directors. Read the press release on this decision here.

Upon recommendation of the Task Force on Governance and the Bylaws Committee, the Board recommended adoption of all changes made to the Academy’s bylaws, which include a restructuring of the Academy’s governance. The new bylaws will be published in the next issue of Texas Family Physician, and the general membership will vote on the changes this summer at Annual Session. You can still log on to the members-only section of the website to see the final reports from all business meetings. To do so, go to v1.tafp.org/membersonly.

Mark your calendars now to join TAFP for next year’s C. Frank Webber Lectureship at the Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark on Feb. 28. Also plan to join us for our largest symposium, Annual Session and Scientific Assembly, July 31 - Aug. 4, 2013, at the Omni Fort Worth Hotel and Fort Worth Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas. This fall, TAFP will host Primary Care Summit – Houston, Oct. 18-20, at the Westin Oaks, and Primary Care Summit – Dallas/Fort Worth, Nov. 8-10, at the Westin Galleria.