Great Equalization: Is MBBS From India Equal To M.D. In U.S.A?
Great Equalization: Is MBBS From India Equal To M.D. In U.S.A?
Great Equalization: Is MBBS From India Equal To M.D. In U.S.A?
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AAPI Journal • March 2009<br />
President’s Message<br />
Continued from page 4<br />
On January 5th, I met with Chief<br />
Minister of Andhra Pradesh Dr. Y.S.<br />
Rajasekhara Reddy and updated him<br />
regarding the Health Summit and<br />
need to implement the rural health<br />
care initiative. At the press<br />
conference on the afternoon of the<br />
5th, AAPI along with Andhra<br />
Pradesh Medical Graduates (APMG)<br />
outlined our vision in implementing<br />
the rural healthcare in Andhra<br />
Pradesh.<br />
I also met with Chief Minister of<br />
Gujarat, Mr. Narendra Modi. Mr.<br />
Modi requested a proposal on a<br />
rural healthcare project in the state<br />
of Gujarat.<br />
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas:<br />
The Ministry of Overseas <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n<br />
Affairs (MOIA) in partnership with<br />
the State Government of Tamil Nadu<br />
and the Confederation of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n<br />
<strong>In</strong>dustry, (CII) organized the Pravasi<br />
Bharatiya Divas at Chennai Trade<br />
Center, Chennai, <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong> from January<br />
7-9, 2008. AAPI delegation was<br />
invited for the event. I was one of<br />
the panelists for the session ‘Health<br />
for All: Role of Diaspora’.<br />
Global Association of Physicians of<br />
<strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n Origin (GAPIO):<br />
The world’s first comprehensive<br />
healthcare organization to be named<br />
as Global Association of Physicians<br />
of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n Origin (GAPIO) was<br />
launched by the Government of<br />
<strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong> at the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas<br />
in Chennai, <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>. This global<br />
consortium of healthcare<br />
professionals consists of international<br />
medical fraternaties such as<br />
American Association of Physicians<br />
of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n Origin (AAPI), Canadian<br />
Association of Physicians of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n<br />
Heritage (CAPIH) and British<br />
Association of Physicians of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n<br />
Origin (BAPIO). The Consortium lays<br />
emphasis on improving health<br />
provision and addressing health<br />
inequalities in <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>. The consortium<br />
will promote the contribution of<br />
approximately 1.2 million physicians<br />
and dentists of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n origin to<br />
global health and to harness their<br />
skills and expertise to address<br />
healthcare issues in <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>.<br />
GAPIO is fully backed by<br />
Government of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong> and founding<br />
members would be given<br />
membership free of charge for first<br />
two years and benefits include<br />
newsletters, access to educational<br />
programs, networking and right of<br />
access to fraternal associations and<br />
academic journal.<br />
Elected Chair: Dr. Pratap Reddy<br />
Elected vice chairs: Dr Sanku<br />
Rao (AAPI) and Dr. Ramesh<br />
Mathur (BAPIO)<br />
Honorary Healthcare Advisers:<br />
Anwar Feroz & Haresh Kaneriya,<br />
Johnson & Johnson, NJ<br />
AAPI Academic Affairs:<br />
• Develop a Directory of<br />
Academic Notables<br />
• Assist CME Committee in<br />
development of agenda with<br />
topics and speakers.<br />
AAPI CME:<br />
This year’s first CME Program was<br />
held on a Greek <strong>Is</strong>land’s cruise Sept.<br />
21 to 28th, 2008 and was<br />
successful. The CME was well done<br />
and everyone enjoyed the visit to<br />
the Greek <strong>Is</strong>lands.<br />
The second CME program was<br />
held in Goa from December 28 –<br />
January 1st. The CME was very well<br />
done with interested sessions on<br />
‘Hypertension and Cardio Metabolic<br />
Syndrome’, ‘Impaired Medical<br />
Students & Physicians’, ‘Neglected<br />
Bladder’ etc. The participants<br />
enjoyed the visit to Goa.<br />
The third CME will be on March<br />
7th in Roswell, GA in association<br />
with Georgia Association of<br />
Physicians of <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n Heritage. Dr.<br />
P.K. Natrajan, CME Chair and Dr.<br />
Naresh Parikh, Regional Director,<br />
Southern Region are working closely<br />
to finalize the program.<br />
Externship Program:<br />
This Clinical Observership<br />
program is organized based on the<br />
model of the IMG Observership,<br />
which currently has been in<br />
existence in Oklahoma since 1999.<br />
The primary purpose of this<br />
Observership is to assist IMGs in<br />
gaining admission into US residency<br />
training programs.<br />
Currently, externship programs are<br />
in Oklahoma City, San Antonio and<br />
Boston. However, there are<br />
approximately 4,000 IMGs awaiting<br />
placement at this time. For this<br />
reason, AAPI is planning to start<br />
three new externship programs in<br />
Dallas, New York, and Michigan by<br />
April 2009, which will help improve<br />
the chances of more IMGs to gain<br />
acceptance into US residencies.<br />
Women’s Forum:<br />
This year’s Women Health Forum<br />
has been planned on March 14th,<br />
2009 in New Jersey. The Committee<br />
is working very hard to make this<br />
event successful.<br />
Spring Governing Body:<br />
The Spring Governing Body<br />
Meeting, in association with <strong><strong>In</strong>dia</strong>n<br />
Medical Association of New England<br />
is scheduled to be held from April<br />
10 – 12, 2009 at Boston, MA.<br />
Continued on page 7<br />
www.aapiusa.org<br />
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