APMA News - May/June 2019 - 46

Federal Advocacy Forum

Midwest Podiatry Conference
Invests in the Future
It's practical and prudent to protect your future by saving for
retirement. APMA continues to prioritize and protect the future
of the profession by investing in our young physicians. When
regional and state components follow suit, a compounding
effect ensues, much like compound interest on your personal investments.
This year, the leadership of
the Midwest Podiatry Conference (MPC) invested in the future of the profession. President Marie Delewsky, DPM, and the
MPC Executive Council (MPC EC) contributed a $7,000
grant to APMA Protecting Our Profession (APMA POP), allowing APMA to cover the costs for one student ($1,000 each)
from each of the founding states of the MPC (Illinois, Iowa,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Tennessee, and Wisconsin) to
attend the 2020 APMA Podiatric Medical Legislative Conference.
The benefits to the profession from investment in our students and young physicians are far-reaching. APMAPAC cur-

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46 APMA News May/June 2019

By Patrick A. DeHeer, DPM

rently funds attendance of two students from each college of
podiatric medicine and surgery, for a total of 18 students. The
MPC EC donation augments student participation at the legislative conference by allowing APMA to involve seven more
students, thus increasing student participation by almost 40
percent!
This grant means providing
leadership training to seven more future leaders of the profession and providing an opportunity for seven more students to
learn about the political process in a way that can't be taught in
a classroom. For the students, an invitation to participate in the
legislative conference provides an unparalleled networking opportunity. The legislative conference is attended by nearly 200
podiatric leaders, including several residency directors. As a residency director myself, I take notice of the students attending.
I hope other regional and state components understand
the importance of the action taken by the MPC EC and will
make meaningful contributions to the future of the profession.
A weakened profession will cost these organizations multiples
of their contributions. As an APMA trustee, I know the difficulties of making tough decisions to balance organizational budgets. Some budgetary items take precedence; the hope is that
final budget decisions are based on an organization's strategic
plan. Ensuring and strengthening the profession's future by investing in its young physicians must be near the top of all of our
strategic plans.
So, I say, "Bravo, MPC!" I hope your component states fully
understand the wisdom and foresight of your decision and
make this contribution an annual occurrence. I hope all state
components consider following suit, as well, with proceeds
from their state meetings.
n

The APMA Protecting Our Profession, or simply APMA POP, is
a separate segregated source of financial resources used for federal legislative education, initiatives, and issue awareness. The
APMA POP funds approximately 50 percent of the annual Podiatric
Medical Legislative Conference, as well as public awareness initiatives. These funds cannot be used directly to support candidates for
federal office. Donations are accepted at www.apma.org/donate.

APMA Trustee and Legislative Committee Chair Patrick A.
DeHeer, DPM, can be reached at advocacy@apma.org.

http://www.apma.org/donate http://www.apma.org/eAdvocacy

APMA News - May/June 2019

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