The 2019 ACGME Annual Educational Conference offers so many great educational opportunities that it can be hard to know which sessions to choose. One “must-attend” plenary session focuses on the critically important topic of physician well-being.
Physician well-being has been a key issue for the ACGME for as long as the organization has been serving the GME community. The Marvin R. Dunn Keynote at this year’s Annual Educational Conference will offer a very special presentation: Rediscovering Meaning in Medicine with Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, 19th surgeon general of the United States and Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP, president and chief executive officer of the ACGME.
Dr. Murthy has called emotional well-being one of the most important and most underappreciated drivers of health. In particular, he has drawn attention to the profound impact that loneliness and social disconnection have on health, productivity, and education.
Dr. Nasca maintains a personal and professional commitment to raising awareness about this very important issue, including serving as co-chair for the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Clinician Well-Being and Resilience.
Based on their shared passion, it made sense that Drs. Murthy and Nasca would sit down and engage in a “fireside chat.” This format will give both Dr. Murthy and Dr. Nasca a forum to discuss the subject of physician well-being openly and fully, allowing them to delve into the nuances of the issue, explore the barriers that must be overcome, as well as the opportunities we all have to improve the emotional and physical health of ourselves and of those with whom we work. The hope is that you come away from this discussion energized, engaged, and ready to help yourself, your program, your institution, and those around you.
We are very pleased to welcome to our conference Vice Admiral Vivek H. Murthy, who served as the 19th Surgeon General of the United States from 2014-2017. As Surgeon General, Dr. Murthy commanded the US Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, a uniformed service of 6,600 public health officers serving vulnerable populations in 800 locations domestically and abroad. In 2016, he launched the TurnTheTideRx campaign to combat the opioid epidemic. Dr. Murthy also issued the first Surgeon General’s report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health to mobilize the nation to address its addiction crisis.
Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP, is president and chief executive officer of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and ACGME International and Professor of Medicine and Molecular Physiology at Thomas Jefferson University, and senior scholar in the department of medical education at the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine and nephrology, and previously served as vice president of academic affairs at Thomas Jefferson University, the president of Jefferson University Physicians, and the Anthony and Gertrude DePalma Dean of Jefferson Medical College. He is the recipient of numerous awards and honorary degrees, and the author of more than 150 articles and chapters.
Please join us as these renowned leaders offer their wisdom, enthusiasm, and support. As Dr. Nasca recently stated, “Through collaboration along the medical continuum, we can transform our world. And we must.”