It’s been a busy winter at the AABIP and our collective efforts are paying off in advancing and advocating for our beloved field: interventional pulmonology (IP).
Our educational offerings have expanded and now include two mobile Apps addressing linear EBUS and IP knowledge assessment tool. The educational webinars continue to be offered on a monthly basis and are very popular. Journal clubs will soon be introduced in the rotation among the other interesting clinical topics of the webinars. Additionally, the AABIP Graduating Fellows Tool Kit is now available and should be a valuable resource for our fellows as they navigate the job market and look for their ideal job.
I am thrilled to see the energy of our members in the regional chapters. The Midwest Chapter has really raised the bar for other chapters to follow suit and organize similar events with the goal of networking and exchanging knowledge and ideas in IP.
But I am most proud of the effort led by our organization, in collaboration with leading pulmonary organizations, to create standards for fellowship training in interventional pulmonology. These standards have been published in CHEST and are available on-line. We will be busy over the next 6-12 months turning these accreditation guidelines into an accreditation process that involves IP fellowship training programs around the country.
The AABIP board exam was conducted on 12/09/2016 and represented the last chance for applicants to apply through the practice pathway. The pass rate was 93%. Congratulations to all applicants who passed and crowned their IP practice with the recognition of AABIP board certification.
As my presidency winds down over the next 8 months, I feel assured of the bright future of IP. Bright young people are joining our field in droves and established interventional pulmonologists are delivering compassionate and effective care to their patients while other are conducting research and expanding our evidence base.
And lastly: I want to remind everyone to not only be a caring physician but also be a leader who positively impacts the people working behind the scenes. When I do my procedures and run around from bronchoscopy to chest tubes to the ICU, I am reminded of the tremendous contribution of the team around me: house staff, nurses, respiratory therapists and advanced practice providers. Remember to thank them every once in awhile and recognize that you can’t deliver your high quality care to your patients without their effort. So buy pizza for the endoscopy suite one day, take them all out for a coffee or drink on another day or just walk in one day and say “thank you for all you do”.
May this Spring bring you joy, blessings and fulfilling days.
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