The AMA Alliance is the volunteer voice for healthy families.  Its mission is to support medical families through advocacy and education.  For more information visit www.amaalliance.org.

AMA Alliance President Nancy Kyler

The AMA Alliance is the largest organization representing the family of medicine in the United States. It is organized in 40 states and more than 400 countries throughout the world, placing it in a unique position to serve the interests of medical families as no other single organization can. The Alliance network of physicians and physicians’ spouses represents all stages of the medical lifestyle, from the training years to retirement. The Alliance’s 2009-2010 President Nancy Kyler, a medical malpractice defense consultant from Stanton, Virginia married to a radiation oncologist recently took time away from her hectic schedule to talk with Student Doctor Network (SDN) about the Alliance’s services and programs.

Who makes up the membership of the AMA Alliance – is it limited to physician spouses/partners and families, or are others encouraged to join?

The AMA Alliance is a membership organization made up of medical students, medical student spouses, residents, resident physician spouses, physicians and physician spouses.  We have the unique perspective of the physician family and can offer support and guidance along the way.  We partner with a number of organizations such as Student Doctor Network,  American Medical Association, American Medical Association Foundation, American Medical Association Political Action Committee, National Council on Violence Prevention, American Psychiatric Association Alliance, Internet Keep Safe Coalition, American Legacy Foundation,  American Heart Association, American Lung Association, and Partnership for a Drug-Free America.

The Student Doctor Network membership consists mainly of pre-health and health professional students.  Why should they or their partners consider joining the AMA Alliance?

The Alliance serves the interests and meets the needs of physicians and their partners at all stages within the medical family—students, residents, practicing physicians and retirees. The AMA Alliance particularly recognizes that medical school and residency are stressful for physicians in training, young physicians and their families.  The AMA Alliance has resources to provide support for partners of physicians in training, as well as assistance in finding an Alliance in your area.  We invite you to join us at our national meetings where we provide practical guidance and information on thriving in the unique relationship of the family of medicine.

The AMA Alliance also provides a “Physician-In-Training” Host Program which is an opportunity for fourth-year medical students to receive free housing as they interview for residency programs. The program was created to help cut down on interviewing costs, get to know the community surrounding potential residency programs and introduce them to the local medical society and Alliance.  Through the Physicians-In-Training Host Program, students can expect a one-or-two-night stay in an Alliance member’s home.  To request a host and download an application, go to www.amaalliance.org

Also available on the Alliance Web site is an active blog written by our young members for young members!

Do you have any activities and programs that are targeted specifically to pre-health and health professional students and their partners?

Log onto our website and take a look at all the activities and opportunities to get involved at www.amaalliance.org.  The Alliance has everything from community health projects to national programs such as “Screen Out” promoting removing smoking from children’s movies; and “Faux Paw” focusing on Internet safety for children.  The AMA Alliance also has a long history of raising money for medical student scholarships through the AMA Foundation.   This is a tangible benefit to students and their partners in helping to alleviate the financial stress of medical school tuition today.   We are also involved in advocacy on behalf of physician families on a local, state, and national level.

What trends do you see for the families of new physicians and physicians-in-training?

Physicians of today look different from physicians of 20 years ago in terms of gender.  Over 48% of students entering medical school today are female.  The younger generation’s career expectations are different from those entering the workforce 10 to 15 years ago, which is not unique to medicine.  Gone are the days of a single career family and also the notion that the mother would stay at home while the father works.  Our members are stay at home dads or moms, working dads and moms, dual career families, married and single physicians.  Research from the independent sector has shown that younger volunteers today are more likely to create their own volunteer activities instead of being mandated what activities they are to do.  That is the beauty of the AMA Alliance and our younger members involvement.  We do not mandate what activities our members should do.  Instead we give our Alliance groups and members the autonomy to be involved in whatever ways best fits their lifestyle.

What do you think the greatest challenges are for physician partners and families right now?

Time poverty appears to be one of the greatest challenges for not only physician families, but people in all walks of life.  Historically, physicians have put in long hours, leaving little time for their family, not to mention themselves.  Many physician families have dual careers, sometimes both doctors or professionals, also adding to the stress for the family.  Our newly completed strategic plan, which will guide the Alliance through 2012, focuses on the physician family and ways in which we can take care of the family of medicine through education on work/family/life balance, healthy lifestyles, time management, managing the medical family and managing the business of medicine. As a result of our work on the strategic plan, we have refocused our resources and offerings on our core constituency—individual members.  This has brought us back to our roots with an emphasis on work/life balance and wellness.

What role do students play in the leadership of the AMA Alliance, if any?

Two years ago the Young Member Connect Task Force was created in an effort address this issue.  The Task Force is made up of medical students, medical student spouses, resident physicians spouses as well as young members, many of which are students.  Their role is to address and promotes ways in which young members will have a greater voice in our organization.

What do you see as the role of the AMA Alliance in the current debate on health care? How is the AMA Alliance working to impact the debate?

The AMA Alliance feels our voices need to be heard so that we may impact the change going on around us.  We recognize the need for health care reform; we know there is heated debate on how this should be accomplished.  The AMA Alliance is serving as a portal to a voice on this issue.  We are gathering feedback and sharing the views of our members with the AMA through the members-only AMA Alliance Facebook page and Presidents blog.   We are providing this information to the AMA as it works to meet the challenge of health system reform.  The Alliance is posting up to date advocacy updates from the AMA on our Web site as well as links to the AMA’s health system reform bulletins.  We are offering a side by side comparison of health care reform proposals from the Kaiser Family Foundation as well other health system information from reputable media outlets.

How can SDN members learn more about the Alliance?

The Alliance is a one-stop-shopping source for help, answers and opportunities.  The best way to learn more is to visit our Web site at www.amaalliance.org.