The FSMB Celebrates 100 Years!
Medical Licensing and Discipline in America
Medical Licensing and Discipline in America , a book focusing on the evolution of the U.S. medical licensing system from its historical antecedents in the 18th and 19th century to its modern structure, is now available for pre-sale through Lexington Books. Authors David A. Johnson and Humayun J. Chaudhry provide an organizational history of the Federation of State Medical Boards and its role in the major issue of licensing and discipline in the 20th century: uniformity in medical statute, evaluation of international medical graduates, nationally administered examinations for licensure, etc.
The book also documents such milestones as the national shift toward greater public accountability by state medical boards as evidenced by California’s inclusion of public members on its medical board, New Mexico’s requirement for continuing medical education by physicians as a condition for license renewal and the Federation’s policy development work advocating for both initiatives among all state medical boards.
NBME and ECFMG Present Gift Portrait of FSMB Founding
Drs. Donald Melnick (NBME) and Emmanuel Cassimatis (ECFMG) presented the Federation with a unique gift during the opening ceremonies of the 100th FSMB annual meeting on April 26, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas. The gift was a portrait commemorating the key February 25, 1911 meeting of the two organizations whose merger established the FSMB – the National Confederation of State Medical Examining and Licensing Boards and the American Confederation of Reciprocating Examining and Licensing Boards. Helping to facilitate the negotiations at this meeting were representatives from the AMA Council on Medical Education, the Association of American Medical Colleges and nationally prominent educator, Abraham Flexner, from the Carnegie Foundation. At this meeting, the assembled parties agreed in principle to merge the two organizations.
Seeking Historical Material from State Boards
As FSMB prepares for its centennial, we welcome the submission of historical
materials to celebrate the accomplishments of FSMB and the important work of state medical boards. Materials could include photographs, copies of key archival documents, articles, personal memoirs, etc.
Shown here in a 1976 photograph are Drs. Arthur and Dwight Hood presenting Nevada medical license #1 (issued to their father in 1899) to Dr. Kenneth McLean, Secretary-Treasurer of the Nevada medical board.
FSMB Education Committee
The Federation’s Education Committee plays a major role in developing the program for the organization’s annual meeting. The committee met on July 6, 2011 to begin planning content and speakers for the FSMB’s 100th annual meeting in Fort Worth, Texas April 26-28, 2012. The committee’s work continued with additional conference call meetings in September and November 2011 and February 2012.
Special thanks go to committee members Deborah Bruce, JD (OK Osteo), Beth Hays, MA (W-VA), Charles Held, MD (NV), Stancel Riley, Jr., MD (MA), FSMB Chair Janelle Rhyne, MD (NC), Freda Bush, MD (MS) and Lance Talmage, MD (OH).
FSMB Centennial Advisory Panel
The Federation applauds the excellent work of its Centennial Advisory Panel. Over the course of nearly two years, the panel developed recommendations for centennial events and assisted staff in planning. Among the panel’s recommendations were those encouraging FSMB to develop a centennial section for its website, drafting a formal written history of the organization (scheduled for release later this year), including appropriate historical/centennial content in the Journal of Medical Regulation during 2012, and convening a national symposium in Washington DC.
A special thank you goes to our panelists: Doris Brooker, MD, Robin Hunter Buskey, MPAS, Gary Clark, Cissy Dillon, Larry Dixon, Eugene Oliveri, DO, Dinesh Patel, MD, Cheryl Vaught, JD and ex-officio members Freda Bush, MD, Humayun Chaudhry, DO, Martin Crane, MD; and Janelle Rhyne, MD.
FSMB Recognizes the Iowa Board of Medicine
The Iowa Board of Medicine celebrated its 125th anniversary recently with a ceremony marking the occasion. The Iowa board also holds the distinct of being one of the Federation’s original charter member boards in 1913. Only twenty-one (21) boards hold this distinction. Tammy McGee, MBA, represented the FSMB Board of Directors and presented a framed proclamation to the Iowa board paying tribute to their contributions to the medical regulatory community.
Has your state board recently celebrated—or soon to celebrate—a milestone birthday? Let the FSMB know so that your board too can be recognized.
