The American College of Preventive Medicine announces the formation of a new component society, the Uniformed Services Academy of Preventive Medicine, comprised of preventive medicine physicians who are currently serving or have served in the Uniformed Services of the United States.
The Uniformed Services include the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and Commissioned Corps of the US Public Health Service.
The Academy was formed to foster science and champion the development and implementation of educational curricula unique to the practice of preventive medicine in the Uniformed Services and to represent the concerns and interests of all preventive medicine physicians working in the military or Commissioned Corps.
?Physician leaders from the uniformed services, both the military and Public Health Service, have made ongoing and significant contributions to the advancement of preventive medicine practice, teaching and research for over 50 years. The Academy will better focus shared interests among Uniformed Services physicians and create synergies with the broader membership of ACPM, other medical organizations, physicians and the public. As our nation tackles critical public health and medical challenges of natural disasters, emergency preparedness and global emerging infectious disease, the Academy will help ACPM better meet its mission to improve disease prevention and health promotion,? said ACPM President, Michael Parkinson, MD, MPH, FACPM.
The Uniformed Services Academy of Preventive Medicine will hold its inaugural meeting in conjunction with the Preventive Medicine 2008 annual conference in Austin, TX, February 20 ? 23, 2008. The first meeting will serve to elect the Academy?s officers and directors and recruit the Academy?s charter members. Participants will also begin the work of the Academy, namely identifying and promoting the Academy?s strategic objectives aimed at protecting and improving the health of our men and women in uniform or serving on the frontlines in the nation’s fight against disease and poor health conditions.
?The uniformed services look forward to working closely with the ACPM leadership to make the Academy a success,? said Lieutenant Colonel Steve Cersovsky, US Army Medical Corps. ?We believe that this new organization will effectively serve the interests of preventive medicine physicians in uniform while advancing the common goals we, the members of ACPM, share.?