Fall PGYP Recap

Last month, POMA leaders and osteopathic residents from across the state met virtually to launch this year’s Professional Guidance Committee meetings.  These meetings provide an arena for residents to develop leadership skills and network with physicians who work in a variety of practice settings outside of their own residency setting.

Leadership is an essential skill for residents to develop in order to lead a medical team and provide safe patient care.  The PGYP West Region reflected on leadership during their icebreaker by sharing one leadership skill they felt they had and another skill they wished to further develop.  Dr. Lisa Witherite-Rieg shared a list of “17 Hard Things You Have to Do to be a Great Leader” as a reminder that being a leader can be difficult but it can also provide personal fulfillment and satisfaction.  Leadership opportunities within POMA, specifically on the board of trustees, committees/task forces and strategic plan work groups, were also discussed.  Kortnee Koziara, DO is the elected resident voting member on the Board and Smit Shah, DO, is the observer resident representative, both from the Central Region.

Personal well-being is very important to the PGYP leaders and became a focus of discussion.  With the goal of reducing the stigma surrounding personal well-being, the POMA Foundation provides funding through POMA’s Wellness Grant Program to encourage residents to participate in focused activities that improve mental health and personal well-being.  Applications are now being accepted – proposals are due November 1, 2020.

Scholarly activity has become a buzz word in the post-graduate training world.  POMA provides several opportunities for residents to participate throughout the year, including local and state lecture presentations, poster presentations and publishing research.  To learn more about any of these opportunities, reach out to any of POMA’s leaders or email [email protected].

A host of POMA leaders participated in each of the virtual meetings, providing updates on POMA’s legislative and advocacy activities, especially scope of practice issues.  Dr. Joseph Zawisza encouraged the residents to become involved in advocacy efforts not only for themselves and their profession, but for their patients as well.

As is always the case, residents were reminded that these quarterly meetings are for them and the purpose is for them to present ideas, questions or concerns to POMA.  Residents from the East Region were particularly interested in mentorship and interviewing.  Residents from the West Region were interested in OMT education, especially related to board preparation.  Residents from the Central Region were interested in speaking opportunities across the state.  All of these are more are being incorporated into Phase 2 of POMA’s strategic plan which will go into effect January 2021. 

The residents requested to have online practice interviews.

Residents voiced desire for education from POMA on board preparation (particularly OMT portion of the board examinations), as well as resident financial health, general OMT lectures available throughout the state, interest in an osteopathic journal club, opportunities to present research and scholarly activity and preparation for practice.  The request for more state-wide OMT education (that could be brought directly to the programs) as well as board preparation programs will be taken to the education pillar of POMA.