So, I acknowledge that my career path differs from some of yours. However, I do share your love for rheumatology and your commitment to better the lives of patients, both in my clinic and around the world, who are affected by rheumatic disease. I share a passionate enthusiasm for helping the rheumatology profession to thrive. I also share a commitment to making sure that those of us who are treating patients in any practice setting and who are performing the research that will improve the treatment of musculoskeletal disease are able to be financially successful, support our families, and enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career. I am willing and eager to listen and to learn from you, and I encourage you to speak up and let me, or any member of the ACR’s leadership, know of your opinions and your ideas for the advancement of our specialty. As Lyndon B. Johnson said, “There are no problems we cannot solve together and very few we can solve by ourselves,” so please share your thoughts and ideas with us.
I share a passionate enthusiasm for helping the rheumatology profession to thrive. … I am willing and eager to listen and to learn from you, and I encourage you to speak up and let me, or any member of the ACR’s leadership, know of your opinions and your ideas for the advancement of our specialty.
Plans for the Future
This upcoming year is an important year for the ACR and an important time to get involved. In addition to 2009 being the ACR’s 75th Anniversary (1934–2009) and a time to reflect on the accomplishments of the specialty thus far, it is also a time to look forward. In 2009, the ACR will engage in a comprehensive strategic planning effort that will shape the direction of the organization for the future. Although everything in our strategic plan will be carefully re-examined, I will focus on the following four priorities: 1) maintain our global leadership position as the source of the highest quality of educational offerings in rheumatology (especially our national meeting and our journals); 2) promote and advocate for the financial viability of rheumatology practice through our work in government affairs and quality measures; 3) ensure a healthy rheumatologist workforce to secure the future of our profession; and 4) promote rheumatology research. Emphasis will also be placed on cultivating and enhancing relationships with other organizations that will help promote initiatives that will benefit rheumatology. Current relationships with the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration, as well as international collaborations with the European League Against Rheumatism and the newly restructured International League Against Rheumatism, will continually be built upon. We will also explore new relationships that can expand our influence within the field of medicine. Another focus will be to more effectively leverage the synergies between the ACR, the ARHP, and the Research and Education Foundation to ensure that the organization is comprehensively serving the needs of our diverse membership.
