President's Message
Treasurer's Report
In Memorium
Spa Conference
The Walking Company

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The AAWP SPA Conference is back!  The AAWP board is working tirelessly to bring back the popular conference next year!  We hope everyone will consider supporting our conference and passing the word!  

Please stay tuned to our website and look for future mailings.  Sign up early with your friends and prepare for not only a great conference but some relaxation time as well.

AAWP SPA Conference 2013

President's Message

This is an exciting year for AAWP.  We are proud to announce the AAWP spa conference which will be held at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables next April 25 - 28, 2013.  There is so much work that goes into it behind the scenes, and we really have to thank Dr. Aparna Duggirala for spearheading and overseeing this unique event.  It is going to be fantastic.  She has opened up to the membership the opportunity of joining the speaker panel or exhibiting. For information on this or on attending, email Dr. Duggirala at aduggirala@americanwomenpodiatrists.com. 

American Association for Women Podiatrists offers our members speaking opportunities and leadership roles, and actually plays a part in making things happen.  We are the parent organization for the student chapters, and the student chapters serve an important role for our women students on campus.  We offer free membership to residents, and we are available to them as mentors.  We are happy to share job opportunities from our members to our members. 

Through AAWP, members meet other practitioners who share the common dilemma of juggling between being a podiatric physician and involved mother while trying to keep it stress free.  We share our stories and advice on how we've done it.  Sometimes these little "pearls" are all that are needed. 

Becoming involved in AAWP has been a wonderful opportunity for me to meet some of the most innovative podiatric practitioners, and I have learned quite a bit from them.  Taking on more work is never easy, but I am so glad that I have, because being on the board of AAWP has taught me so much.   

Become involved, we want you, and you will gain so much from the experience. 

Sheryl Strich, D.P.M. 
sstrich@americanwomenpodiatrists.com

AAWP Treasurer's Report May 2012
Erika M. Schwartz, DPM

As of 4/30/12 there are 233 members of AAWP.

Checking account balance 4/30/12- $15,424.69

CD ......271- $11,522.85
CD......273- $11,799.51
CD......307- $7,554.18
Total overall- $46,301.23

We regret to inform the AAWP community of the untimely passing of member Dr. LaToya D. Smith. She was diagnosed with melanoma less than two years ago and lost her battle to cancer at the age of 29 on December 9, 2011. She was happily married to Avery Smith and was starting a private practice in Bowie, MD with Dr. Queen Mbanuzue, which they named In Step Podiatry Center.  Originally from Herndon, VA, Dr. Smith attended Penn State on a full scholarship and graduated valedictorian with a BS in Kinesology. She went on to attend Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine and graduated number one in her class in 2007. She completed a three year surgical residency at Washington Hospital Center where she volunteered to participate in medical missions. All that are interested are welcome to check out http://latoyalives.org.
   
LaToya was a very special person who I enjoyed working with during her residency training at the Washington Hospital Center.  I recall being very happy to hear that she had matched with our program, as she was the type of student who left a real impression in just a one month externship period.  As a resident, she was a true leader in every sense.  She readily volunteered with me at the medical center of a homeless shelter in her spare time, because giving back mattered to her greatly.  I am saddened personally for the loss this wonderful woman, but also because so few of you likely had the opportunity to know her.  If you take a moment to visit www.latoyalives.org and download the short "celebration journal" you can see some wonderful pictures of LaToya's smiling face.

Erika Schwartz, DPM
AAWP Treasurer

AAWP Spa Conference is back by popular demand!

We are excited to announce that the Biltmore Resort in Coral Gables, Florida will be the location of Spa Conference.  The Biltmore, a four-diamond hotel, showcases championship golf, cosmopolitan dining, a luxury spa and the finest accommodations.  It has been a favorite of world leaders, celebrities and sports stars since its opening in the 1920's.  The resort is set on a lush and tropical landscape in the exclusive Coral Gables area, minutes from world class shopping, South Beach, downtown Miami, and Coconut Grove.  

The didactic portion will encompass up to 15 CECCH in a relaxed, tropical setting.  Afternoons will be reserved for leisure and enjoyment with your colleagues, friends and family.  Spa discounts will be offered to registered attendees and their guests so that you can take full advantage all that the Biltmore Resort has to offer.  The highlight of the conference will be the Presidents Luncheon to be held in honor of past AAWP presidents.  We encourage all past AAWP presidents to attend.   These are just some of the events planned for the conference.  We encourage you to check our website and Facebook for up-to-date information.  If interested in being on the speaker panel, please contact Dr. Kathy Satterfield at vksatterfielddpm@aol.com.  For exhibitor information contact Dr. Alison Garten at drgartenaawp@gmail.com.

The ultimate one-stop shop for comfort footwear and accessories, The Walking Company is the world's largest specialty retailer of comfort footwear with over 200 stores nationwide and an online store, www.thewalkingcompany.com. In stores, the highly trained staff utilizes digital scan technology to ensure customers always get the proper fit and ideal footwear for their specific needs.  Offering the world's best comfort footwear, including premier brands and hard-to-find styles, the selection available includes sandals, casual and dress shoes, plus athletic performance styles

The Walking Company, proud sponsor of AAWP

 I am reaching out to the AAWP membership to ask for your help in protecting our profession by supporting the American Podiatric Medical Association Political Action Committee (APMAPAC).

Over the past several years, APMA has had many legislative successes and has been able to achieve these because of the support and participation of our members. APMA's federal education and lobbying efforts have resulted in several significant legislative victories for the profession, including:

• eligibility to opt out of Medicare;
• exemption from Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS) accreditation requirements;
• exemption from DMEPOS surety bond requirements;
• inclusion in incentives for adopting health information technology (HIT);
• eligibility for e-prescribing bonuses;
• eligibility for bonuses related to reporting Medicare quality measures (Physician Quality Reporting In itiative);
• inclusion and safeguarding of a provider non-discrimination provision in health-reform legislation.

Current legislative efforts include:

• Accountable Care Organizations (ACO): APMA is addressing issues on both regulatory and legislative fronts to ensure equitable participation and fair distribution of cost savings for DPMs;
• Anti-Trust Reform: APMA supports the Quality Health Care Coalition Act of 2011, which would equal the playing field in health care professionals' negotiations with health plans;
• APMA supports the Competitive Health Insurance Reform Act of 2011 which repeals antitrust exemptions that health insurers currently enjoy; and of course,
• Continued efforts to secure passage of our Medicaid (Title XIX) physician definition legislation, including efforts to have these bills rescored by the Congressional Budget Office so that the overall perceived cost will be decreased based on the Thomson Reuter and Duke studies.

APMAPAC's success depends on the willingness of individual APMA members, like you, to support our political efforts. But more than that, I am reaching out to my female colleagues - because I think we need to step up our
efforts!

Although women make up 20% of the APMA membership, so far in 2012 we represent only 17% of the donors to the PAC. Of all the funds contributed to APMAPAC this year, only 13% of the total contributions were given by women! Furthermore, the average contribution of women DPM's was less that that of male DPM's for each of the last five years!! Clearly, we women need to step up to the plate with respect to APMAPAC donations!! I am hoping that we, as women, will take a leadership role within our states and bring our donation statistics in line with - or better than - our male counterparts.

If you have not contributed in the past, this is the year to start. Please help us reach our 100/100/100 goal. 100 new contributors each month giving $100 to reach 100% participation.

If you contributed $150 last year, please consider increasing that amount to $300 this year and proudly wear your $300+ pin at the next meeting you attend! By the way, the $500+ pins bring much more admiration! If podiatric medicine has been especially good to you, give $1000 and that $1000 pin will be the envy of all your peers! There are even a few APMA members that have contributed $5000 this year! I am asking you to make 2012 the year that you make a significant commitment to APMAPAC.

Please log on to www.apma.org/pacdonate to make your contribution TODAY! You will need to know your APMA membership number to sign on - if you don't have it call (800) ASK-APMA, but call TODAY.

We, as the women of our profession, need to take a stand politically and become involved with the future of our profession! The APMAPAC should be your first step in that involvement!

Most Sincerely,

Marlene Reid, DPM
APMAPAC Board of Directors
Past President, AAWP

PURPOSE: The American Podiatric Medical Association Political Action Committees purpose is to raise and disburse funds to
candidates for Federal office that support the legislative priorities and goals of the podiatric medical profession.

*IMPORTANT: You may contribute or not contribute without concern of being favored or disadvantaged. Occupation/Employer information is required for aggregate annual contributions of more than $200.00 by the Federal Election Campaign Act. Federal election law does not permit corporate contributions to be used for donation to candidates for federal office. Political contributions are not deductible for income tax purposes.

We hope that you enjoyed our summer newsletter and will consider attending the AAWP SPA Conference in April of 2013!  If you would like to help the AAWP board prepare for the conference please contact any of  the board members!  

Sincerely,

Abigail Mahoney, DPM
Secretary
American Association of Women Podiatrists