Message from the President of AAPI 
Sunita Kanumury, MD

Incoming Presidential Address - 29th Annual Convention - June 25, 2010

Namaste and Good evening,

In June 1999, In my place, stood and outstanding women, who broke not a glass, but a concrete ceiling to become the first woman president of AAPI. Dr. Kalpalatha Guntupalli, A woman of energy, vision and organizational ability. The concrete was again replaced by glass and it has takena decades for a women, to be able to be at the helm and serve our beloved organization.

I thank you the members who have given me this opportunity, my colleagues on the executive committee, the Governing Body and the various committees I have been involved in over the past 15 years for guiding me every step of the way. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Here I am standing before you, members of the largest Indian American Professional Organization in the county. Your presence inspires me as we are about to embark on a journey that will take us beyond the map, a journey that will require us to embrace change, new ways of thinking and acting.

I hope the next ceiling is the sky. When I was in medical School in India 50% of my class were women. When I came to the US only 10% of the class were women. This has changed. Now in almost every school 50 % of the entering class are women. It is important to note that the largest growth has been among Asian women students. Look around you, the women leadership of AAPI, the pioneers that drilled through the concrete, the stalwarts who broke the glass, and look at the young physicians, residents and medical students and the spouses, the wind beneath the wings of the men that helped shape this great organization.

Now , I am going to request all the men, fathers, husbands, sons, friends, please stand and applaud the women in your life.

With that celebration, lets talk about the journey I am embarking on where I want each and every one of you to travel with me beyond the map our leaders have traveled laying a path that made it easier for us to navigate. But we are stepping out a little further, making new paths.

My agenda for the year is long, but three things are top on my mind.

One

As I was planning my year in office I traveled extensively, met members of many chapters of AAPI and alumni organizations. There is a desire and thirst at the grass roots level for more involvement. Our membership, the past year, has grown tremendously. 2,200 new members have been added. Thanks to the thoughtful planning by Ajit and the team. However, only 0 .1% of the membership is engaged. We will strive for greater input and participation. Even greater effort will go in engaging young physicians. "AAPI connects" is the slogan. We do not want that to be just words. I ask the young people to come forward. My doors are open to you at all times. AAPI has shaped my professional and personal goals to evolve as a leader and serve. The sky is the limit, Join the journey.

Two

This brings me directly top on everyone's mind, healthcare reform and the role of international graduates. I am most excited about this. Think for a moment about healthcare in our country of origin.

You often hear that twenty five percent of the healthcare in the U.S. is provided by international medical graduates. The largest number of international graduates comes from India. 44% of primary care in this country is provided by international graduates. The focus of healthcare reform is to strengthen primary care, preventive care, and completely change the way we have thought about delivering healthcare.

Do you see the picture? Let us not be complacent in our role. We ought to be in the driver's seat making policies that shape healthcare delivery in this country.

This year, we will host two legislative meetings in Washington so physicians can meet with members of congress and their staff to tell them our ideas and concrete suggestions for a completely different way of thinking about health delivery systems. We will partner with AMA and our state and county medical organizations to lobby for those issues that are very pertinent to our profession.

We will also address healthcare disparities through CME programs and training initiatives and community events.

That brings me to number three

As healthcare professionals, we will understand the power of prevention. And a great place to start talking about prevention is with women. Women often make the healthcare decisions in the family. And a healthy family leads to a healthier community...and a healthier nation. So, to support healthier families, I've recently formed, for the first time in the history of AAPI, the Women's Health Advisory Board. This year, we are launching Health Smart, an initiative that will help women make informed decisions...lifestyle changes...and maximize good health throughout their lives. Just a few days ago, the Women's Health Advisory Board had its kick-off meeting to begin talking about community educational programs. The board is made up of five healthcare leaders and physicians. Some of them are here with us today, and I'd like you to meet them. (Ask those who are present to stand and introduce them by name).

I recognize the enormous amount of work that lies ahead. I recognize the need and guidance that will be required every step of the way. Therefore, I want to harness the wisdom of twenty nine great minds who have lead this organization. I am forming the President's Council that will serve as a guiding help to us as AAPI goes beyond the map. May I request all the past presidents that are here tonight to stand and be recognized. These outstanding individuals have helped make APPI one of the most established and admired organizations in the Indian-American community.

I look forward to an exciting journey. I am excited that you will travel with me. I take this opportunity to thank my parents and my daughter, Harini, for their constant support and encouragement. I know I will lean on you heavily this year. I would also like to thank Dr. Singhvi for his leadership this past year, his vision and friendship. I am most thankful to this year's convention chair, Dr. Ajay Lodha. I will always cherish the memory of this event.

I thank you all for being here tonight. I will close by quoting Rabindranath Tagore "I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy."

I would like to wake up a year from now with the last words, I woke up to realize service was joy.


Thank you!

Sunita Kanumury, MD
AAPI President