By Bruce Hershfield, MD
[Fall 2005; Vol. 32, No. 1; Pg 4-5]
On April 21, 2005, the MPS held its annual dinner, at the Hunt Valley Golf Club in Phoenix. Highlights of the evening included the installation of Dr. Joseph M. Schwartz as President, the presentation of the 2005 Lifetime of Service Award to John C. Urbaitis, MD, and a talk by the APA President-Elect, Dr. Steven S. Sharfstein.
First, Dr. Steven R. Daviss, the outgoing MPS President, reviewed the last year, saying that he personally found it to be “a lot of fun”. He described the results of the legislative session and our efforts to build bridges to advocacy groups, to the Suburban Maryland chapter of the WPS and to DHMH. He then recognized the Committee Chairpersons and Dr. Roger Peele, the Area 3 Trustee who was attending the dinner. At that point, he turned the Presidency of the MPS over to Dr. Joseph M. Schwartz.
Dr. Schwartz reminded us that the diversity of our membership and the participation of so many of us are the two greatest strengths that we have. He spoke of his plan to increase the percentage of members who are serving on committees and of his hope that we can build even better linkages with the Washington Psychiatric Society.
Jonas R. Rappeport, MD of the Maryland Foundation for Psychiatry, then introduced the winner of this year’s essay contest, “When Not to Keep a Secret”, Prince John Wulu, III.
It was then time for Dr. Urbaitis to accept his award. He spoke of growing up on the grounds of the state hospital where his father was the Superintendent; this was where he first learned about how people handle serious psychiatric disorders. He specifically mentioned some Maryland psychiatrists who have inspired him. First, he talked about Jerome Frank, who taught so many and who is now missed by so many. Then he talked about Gerry Klee, who molded the MPS constitution so that the society could comfortably fit into the APA. He went on to mention some of the accomplishments of Chet Schmidt, who helped develop the CPT codes and the RBRVS system that is used by Medicare. He then cited John Imboden for his work for the society and in helping to establish the Foundation. He thanked Sol Snyder and Steve Sharfstein for being guest speakers at our meetings and Tom Allen for helping to purchase the property for the MPS office and for serving on the committee that brought Heidi Bunes to our office. He pointed out the contributions of Lino Covi to the Assembly and in establishing “The Maryland Psychiatrist” and thanked Roger Peele, Larry Kline, and Larry Sack of the WPS for being “good neighbors” and for working with us on legislative strategy. Finally, he told us about how Jeff Janofsky has helped us with his perspectives on psychiatry’s interfaces with the law and how Kostas Lyketsos contributed to the MPS by organizing the Residents & Fellows Committee and by participating in the Assembly.
Dr. Sharfstein began his talk by saying of Dr. Urbaitis, “He is someone who can be admired throughout the country for his psychiatric leadership.” He said that it is “because of him and many folks who are in this room” that the MPS is one of the country’s best-organized District Branches. Dr. Sharfstein told us that the theme for his presidential year is “Advocacy: from Science to Public Policy–-Advocacy for Our Patients & Our Profession”. He reviewed some of the APA’s recent accomplishments, saying “Our numbers are good” and mentioning that 27,000 people attended last year’s Annual Meeting. He concluded by telling us that APA membership is increasing, the number of medical students choosing to enter Psychiatry has increased 50% recently, and “I am becoming President at a very good time.”