The President's message is written personally by the President each month and all opinions expressed within are his/her individual opinions and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Academy, it’s affiliates, or it’s employees.
As the sunrises that typically accompany my writing are steadily moving later into the morning hours, it’s clear that fall has arrived in Wisconsin. School kids are settling into routines, daylight hours are waning, leaves are turning color and political ads are more rampant. There is some comforting cadence of our annual routine, but our daily patient care reminds us that many families we serve are facing disruptions to their routines – some celebrating fall weddings or new babies; yet others facing some of the hardest days of their lives with catastrophic new diagnoses, the grief of losing a loved one, or the devastation of natural disasters. However, there remains a comforting cadence of our routines to walk with our patients and communities in celebration or in suffering. There is comfort offered with phone calls we make after “usual business hours” to connect with the family whose matriarch has died or the parents of the child we emergently transferred hours from home for subspecialty care. Yet, we often have to acknowledge that our support is the only “medicine” we have to offer. Human connection is the only antidote we have for their suffering in those moments. It also remains the greatest privilege we have as Family Physicians – the ability to walk with our patients through the mundane cadence of the seasons of life and through the journeys that disrupt all sense of routine or normalcy. Every one of those connections is between at least two humans – each rewarded with the gift of that connection.
Like each of our members, WAFP is also enjoying the annual cadence of autumn, including the AAFP Congress of Delegates, October’s WAFP Board Meeting and the annual survey of our members. While a survey will never compete with real human connection, the annual survey is one way WAFP strives to make mutually beneficial connections with our members. The survey supports the development of WAFP’s strategic plan and the work we do throughout the year - striving to serve you in ways that accomplish our vision: competent, compassionate, thriving Family Physicians advancing the health of our communities.
Hopefully you’ve already completed this year’s survey, but if not, you are always welcome to connect with us to bring your perspectives forward. Even more, we would love to create real human connection with you in our workgroups or committees or at our annual business meeting (March 7) at the Winter Refresher Course (March 6-7) in partnership with Medical College of Wisconsin Department of Family and Community Medicine.
My calendar is marked to connect with you and our colleagues in March. Is yours?
