AAMC Reporter: June 2008

A Word from the President: "Standing on Their Shoulders"

"If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants."—Sir Isaac Newton

It is no exaggeration to write that the AAMC would not be the great organization it is today without three extraordinary gentlemen: Richard M. Knapp, Joseph A. Keyes, Jr., and Robert M. Dickler. Because of Dick, Joe, and Bob—as we know them more familiarly—the AAMC occupies a unique place among national associations: a respected advocacy and policy leader that is also widely viewed as a think tank; a mission-driven organization dedicated to helping its members improve health; and above all, a place where personal values are aligned with organizational values.

As many of you may know, Dick, Joe, and Bob are retiring from their full-time executive roles as executive vice president and chief advocacy officer, chief legal officer, and chief health care officer, respectively. As I reflect upon their many years of dedicated service to the AAMC, it is clear how—as individuals, and as leaders working together—they have transformed our association from a small, barely visible group designed to hold a few meetings, to being a potent advocacy force whose leadership is widely sought. Or, as Dick so aptly put it in a memorable presentation, Almost 40 Years Ago: "We used to be a cavalry. We are now an army division!" That army division would not have come about without the active enlistment of our members, and without Dick, Joe, and Bob to nurture and strengthen that support.

For example, Dick Knapp's ability to involve AAMC members in all aspects of advocacy has given us a voice where it truly counts: in the court of public opinion and on Capitol Hill. When Dick joined the AAMC fresh from his Ph.D. program in hospital and health administration, AAMC government relations constituted occasional Hill visits and opinion letters. Today, because of Dick's keen political eye and the extraordinary government relations team he has brought together, AAMC constituents discuss legislative developments through special action committees for Medicare and Medicaid funding and for National Institutes of Health (NIH) support, meet with members of Congress, and are asked to testify before congressional committees. In addition to making the AAMC a respected presence on Capitol Hill, these activities have made us the "go-to" organization for the latest information on public policy issues affecting medical education, research, and teaching hospitals and health systems. And notably, Dick's government relations operation is so highly regarded as a professional training ground that, when the rare job vacancy occurs, competition is fierce for the coveted slot.

Like Dick, Joe Keyes has spent most of his professional career with the AAMC, having joined the association after serving in the U.S.Navy and working at the NIH. Joe's outstanding stewardship and his commitment to maintaining the integrity of medical schools—and in particular, their educational mission—have served to strengthen professional development for deans, department chairs, and other faculty leaders. Under Joe's guidance, the Council of Deans' spring meeting has become a key professional development and networking opportunity for new and experienced deans alike, and the annual program for associate deans and department chairs continues to be highly successful. Further, in his capacity as the association's general counsel, Joe has worked tirelessly to assure diversity in medical education and was a major legal strategist in the Bakke and Grutter cases. He also has presided over the activities of a wide range of constituent groups, including the Organization of Student Representatives, Women in Medicine, the Group on Faculty Affairs, and the Group on Regional Medical Campuses. To accomplish all this, he has assembled a talented cadre of professionals to staff these efforts.

More than two decades after Joe came on board—and just as health care reform was beginning to heat up—we were fortunate in 1992 to have one of our members, Bob Dickler, join the AAMC. As the former administrator of two teaching hospitals, Bob's experience on the front lines of academic medicine has been instrumental in engaging constituents on major health policy and regulatory initiatives and guiding the Council of Teaching Hospitals and Health Systems. As staff convener of the AAMC Advisory Panel on Health Care, Bob has worked side by side with leaders from our teaching hospitals to develop principles for health care reform, discuss health care quality improvement initiatives, and look at new delivery models. Additionally, his mastery of the complexities of governmental support for teaching hospitals and graduate medical education programs, and his mentorship of association staff on these issues, have made the AAMC a respected leader on financing, both inside and outside the hospital world.

What has impressed me most, having had the honor of working with Dick, Joe, and Bob daily, is the high degree to which their personal values align with our organizational values. Giants each in their respective fields, they are role models for collaboration and teamwork, with their joint efforts on the Jung lawsuit and passage of legislation to preserve the Match, being among the most outstanding examples. Their long-tenured commitments—40, 38, and 16 years, respectively—are a rarity in the fast-moving health care world and, in my view, emblematic of the unique work environment they have helped to cultivate; one where all are valued, and many choose to stay for years.

More than once, we all have stood on the shoulders of Dick, Joe, and Bob, and in my first two years as AAMC president, I have had the great fortune to benefit from their leadership and expertise. Each is inextricably woven into the AAMC institutional fabric, and the talented and highly dedicated professionals they have mentored will serve us as important connecting threads. Together, they have provided a solid foundation to continue our work on behalf of the nation's medical schools and teaching hospitals, and we offer our heartfelt thanks for their devoted service and leadership!

Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., AAMC President and CEO

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