volume 44 no. 2 summer 2013
TODAY’S
CHRISTIAN DOCTOR The Journal of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations
IN THIS ISSUE
Social Media A round-up of grassroots state legislative campaigns
in #Healthcare Contentment: The Secret of a Lasting Calm
The fruits of discipleship in short-term dental missions
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I Must Confess David Stevens, MD, MA (Ethics)
I need to confess some things:
I’ve got a better idea – better for you, and better for CMDA! What if you opted to automate your giving? Members who do so
What if you opted to automate your dues renewal? Members who do so would no longer get dues invoices. This makes sense from a ministry-stewardship perspective. And I think it will also make sense for you. Sign up today for your dues payment and a generous monthly, quarterly or annual gift to CMDA to be automatically deducted from your checking account or credit card by going to www.cmda.org/autodues. Our staff will follow your instructions. The process will continue until canceled by you. (The process will require renewal when your credit card changes or expires.) • It is simple. • It makes sense. • CMDA will save valuable ministry resources! • It will save your valuable time. • It will ensure that the crucial ministries of CMDA continue and advance during these challenging times! • And most importantly, our Heavenly Father will be pleased with our stewardship.
editorial
• While the ministries of CMDA depend on your giving, I hate writing financial appeal letters more than you hate getting them. • It may surprise you to know that dues income accounts for less than 20 percent of our annual budget. The majority comes from members who give over and above dues. • While I enjoy communicating with you, I would rather it be focused on the successes of our ministry and less about asking for financial support. • Mail appeals are not the best use of our resources, especially when other methods are more cost-effective. We need to cut down on postage, printing and paper. I know a lot of it ends up in the trash, unopened. • But I also know CMDA cannot carry on its ministry without these gifts. • I also confess our frustration with the process that requires an average of three invoices before members pay their annual dues. I know members are busy and this invoice often gets pushed to the bottom of the pile, and sometimes forgotten. But this pattern is costly in time and money.
would no longer receive routine appeal letters.
Don’t delay. Do it today. We are grateful for your faithfulness!
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 3
contents Today’s Christian Doctor
I VOLUME 44, NO.2 I Summer 2013
The Christian Medical & Dental Associations®— Changing Hearts in Healthcare . . . since 1931.
5 Transformations 14 A Lasting Legacy
by Mandi Mooney
he Power of 26 TDiscipleship: Encouraging
Commitment to Missions
by William Griffin, DDS
Remembering Dr. C. Everett Koop
Personal stories of dental students in short-term missions
STORY 16 COVER Social Media in
racing for Battle and 31 BJoining the Fray: State
by Bill Reichart, MDiv
by Margie Shealy and Mandi Mooney
Exploring the value of joining the online community
Taking a stand in state grassroots campaigns
22
ontentment: The Secret C of a Lasting Calm
34 Classifieds
#Healthcare: Why You Should (Like) Social Media
Legislative Campaigns Reach New Levels
by Richard A. Swenson,MD Accepting the gift of contentment from God
REGIONAL MINISTRIES Connecting you with other Christ-followers to help better motivate, equip, disciple and serve within your community
Western Region Michael J. McLaughlin, MDiv P.O. Box 2169 Clackamas, OR 97015-2169 Office: 503-522-1950 west@cmda.org
Northeast Region Scott Boyles, MDiv Midwest Region P.O. Box 7500 Allan J. Harmer, ThM Bristol, TN 37621 9595 Whitley Dr. Suite 200 Office: 423-844-1092 Indianapolis, IN 46240-1308 scott.boyles@cmda.org Office: 317-556-9040 cmdamw@cmda.org Southern Region William D. Gunnels, MDiv 106 Fern Dr. Covington, LA 70433 Office: 985-502-7490 south@cmda.org
Interested in getting involved? Contact your regional director today!
TODAY’S CHRISTIAN DOCTOR®
EDITOR Mandi Mooney EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Gregg Albers, MD John Crouch, MD Autumn Dawn Galbreath, MD Curtis E. Harris, MD, JD Van Haywood, DMD Rebecca Klint-Townsend, MD Robert D. Orr, MD Debby Read, RN VP FOR COMMUNICATIONS Margie Shealy AD SALES Margie Shealy 423-844-1000 DESIGN Ahaa! Design + Production PRINTING Pulp CMDA is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA). TODAY’S CHRISTIAN DOCTOR®, registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. ISSN 0009-546X, Summer 2013, Volume XLIV, No. 2. Printed in the United States of America. Published four times each year by the Christian Medical & Dental Associations® at 2604 Highway 421, Bristol, TN 37620. Copyright© 2013, Christian Medical & Dental Associations®. All Rights Reserved. Distributed free to CMDA members. Non-doctors (US) are welcome to subscribe at a rate of $35 per year ($40 per year, international). Standard presort postage paid at Bristol, Tenn. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Christian Medical & Dental Associations, P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621-7500. Undesignated Scripture references are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved. Scripture references marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture references marked (MSG) are taken from The Message. Copyright© 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. Scripture references marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright© 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. Scripture references marked (NIV 2011) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture references marked (NKJV) are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright© 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Other versions are noted in the text. For membership information, contact the Christian Medical & Dental Associations at: P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621-7500; Telephone: 423-844-1000, or toll-free, 888-230-2637; Fax: 423-844-1005; Email: memberservices@cmda.org; Website: http://www.joincmda.org. If you are interested in submitting articles to be considered for publication, visit www.cmda.org/publications for submission guidelines and details. Articles and letters published represent the opinions of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of the Christian Medical & Dental Associations. Acceptance of paid advertising from any source does not necessarily imply the endorsement of a particular program, product or service by CMDA. Any technical information, advice or instruction provided in this publication is for the benefit of our readers, without any guarantee with respect to results they may experience with regard to the same. Implementation of the same is the decision of the reader and at his or her own risk. CMDA cannot be responsible for any untoward results experienced as a result of following or attempting to follow said information, advice or instruction.
transformations
New Chief Financial Officer Michael Oldham joined the staff of CMDA at the beginning of March as Chief Financial Officer after Colette Davis’ retirement. He holds a master of accountancy degree from the University of Tennessee and has the professional designations of Chartered Global Management Accountant (CGMA) and Certified Public Accountant (CPA). He was previously CFO for 11 years with a Christian ministry headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee with a global focus, and he has been in the accounting field for 23 years. He is married to Pam and has four children, Paige (19), Anna (10), Rachel (8) and Isaac (3). Mike can be reached by email at mike.oldham@ cmda.org or by calling 888-230-2637.
James Hines, MD is the New President-Elect Every two years, the CMDA membership elects a new President-Elect. Now serving two years as incoming President-Elect, Dr. James Hines will begin his term as CMDA President in 2015 and will continue his service for an additional year as Past-President. The President-Elect announcement came as the passing of the gavel from President John R. Crouch, Jr., MD, to incoming President Richard E. Johnson, MD, took place at the National Convention at Ridgecrest, North Carolina. A graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine, Dr. Hines is an OB/Gyn and adjunct associate professor at Central Michigan University College of Medicine in Saginaw, Michigan. James and his wife Martha served two terms with Encompass World Partners as missionaries in the Central African Republic, and they continued their missionary service by leading almost 30 short-term medical teams to Niger, C.A.R., Chad, Vietnam and Cambodia. He joined CMDA in 1979 as a medical student, and has continued to be involved throughout his career. He has served for two years as a CMDA missionary delegate, 11 years as a Michigan state representative and now six years on the Board of Trustees. “It has been a thrill to see God bringing together physicians, dentists, students and other healthcare professionals who are committed to honoring, serving and obeying Him. I see that God is using this team to impact our culture with biblically-based responses to the complex issues we face. I love hearing the reports of what God is doing, dreaming about our future and enjoying the camaraderie feel in the Spirit as we, as one body, strive to make wise decisions which will bring glory to our God and Savior,” said Dr. Hines in his testimony. “I know well, that in my own strength, nothing of significance will be accomplished. However, as I allow the Holy Spirit to work through me and us, great things might be accomplished for the kingdom and to God’s glory.”
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 5
transformations
CMDA 2013 Member Awards Editor’s Note: The following awards were presented at this year’s National Convention. These articles are excerpted from the actual award citations which can be viewed at www.cmda.org/2013awards.
2013 Educator of the Year Award Louis L. Carter, Jr., MD and Anne Carter, RN
Dr. Louis and Anne Carter have both been blessed with the ability to teach and influence others, they have spent more than 30 years teaching well for the glory of God. Louis and Anne were married in 1962. At the time, Anne was already a registered nurse while Louis was a student at the University of Tennessee College of Medicine. Louis completed his internship and residency in general surgery at Parkland Hospital and University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in Dallas, Texas. Between 1974 and 1996, Louis and Anne served with SIM in southern Nigeria in a rural hospital. Upon returning to the U.S. in 1981, Louis completed a plastic surgery residency at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. After serving on the Dr. Louis L. Carter and his wife plastic surgery faculty at UT Memphis for one year, Louis and Anne returned to Anne accepted the Educator of Nigeria to serve at Evangel Hospital in Jos. In 1987, they left Nigeria to receive the Year Award from Dr. John R. Crouch, Jr. (left). hand surgery training and later to teach plastic and hand surgery at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga. In 1996, the Carters returned to full-time missionary service with SIM, not as traditional medical missionaries but in teaching for six to 12 weeks at mission hospitals around the world to teach general surgeons basic plastic and hand surgery. Louis is the only plastic and hand surgery missionary from the U.S. As an operating room nurse, Anne also teaches the other operating room nurses and technicians at the hospitals they visit. In the last 18 years, they have made 79 trips overseas, visiting 28 hospitals in 21 countries.
6 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
transformations 2013 Servant of Christ Award Dr. Richard and Mrs. Millie Bransford
Dr. Richard Bransford was born in Long Beach, California. He began his educational path in his home state at Compton College and completed his degree in physics at UCLA, but he soon headed to the East Coast for medical school where he married his wife Millie in 1965. Millie studied mathematics at the College of William and Mary. Richard graduated from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Maryland in 1967. He had surgical residency positions in West Virginia and Nebraska; afterwards he served two years as a surgeon in the Air Force in Washington. In 1975, Richard and Millie traveled to Switzerland with AIM International. In 1976, Richard earned a degree in Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium. Dr. Bransford’s work on the mission field began with surgery appointments in the Dr. Richard Bransford and his wife Millie received the Servant Democratic Republic of Congo and the Comoro Islands. From 1978 to 1998, they of Christ Award from Dr. John R. served at Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. Millie used her skills in math to work as a Crouch, Jr. (right). mathematics teacher, in addition to teaching Bible and French at several different national schools in Kenya. In 1998, they helped found Bethany Crippled Children’s Centre. Fueled by a desire to improve the lives of African children through surgical intervention, they went on to co-found Bethany Relief and Rehabilitation International, now known as BethanyKids, in 2001. Today, Dick and Millie continue to follow God’s path as they travel throughout locations in Africa, spreading both compassionate care and the gospel throughout their journey. Dick and Millie have seven children, including two they adopted while living in Kenya, and 17 grandchildren.
2013 President’s Heritage Award Robert Scheidt, MD
This year’s President’s Heritage Award was presented posthumously to Dr. Bob Scheidt by Dr. John R. Crouch, Jr. (below).
Robert “Bob” was born in Celina, Ohio in 1934. He was a 1956 graduate of Wheaton College and earned his medical degree from Northwestern Medical School in 1960. During the Berlin Crisis, he served in Germany as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for three years. After returning to the U.S., he completed his postgraduate surgical training at Northwestern University and began private practice in general surgery in his hometown of Van Wert, Ohio in 1969. From that time until 2001, Dr. Scheidt practiced general surgery in various locations in Ohio. A lifetime member of CMDA, Bob joined the organization as a student during medical school and remained actively involved throughout his career. He served CMDA in many ways but will always be remembered for the year he stood in the gap during a crucial transition of leadership. He served as president of CMDA from 1993 to 1995, helping to manage the organization after the General Secretary’s resignation. His leadership left a big imprint on CMDA. After his term as president ended, he served as the chair of the Ethics Committee for many years. He helmed the panel of experts, helping to craft CMDA’s ethics statements and positions on various issues to ensure they were in line with Scripture. In addition, Dr. Scheidt led short-term mission trips to the Dominican Republic for 20 years. After a brief illness with cancer, he passed away on Saturday, December 14, 2012. Bob is survived by his wife Sandra, four children and 10 grandchildren.
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 7
transformations
Grace Prescriptions How often do you prescribe grace to your patients? Not just kindness, which is important, but also specific and appropriate doses of grace that may bring your patients a step closer to a right relationship with God? Many of us in healthcare struggle with guilt and inadequacy in this area. But there is hope.
Walt Larimore, MD
Join us for the live seminars of Grace Prescriptions designed to teach you to share your faith with patients in ways that safeguard the important ethical principles of respect, sensitivity and permission. Originally taught in CMDA’s popular Saline Solution course, these concepts are proven to be effective as thousands of lives have been transformed. Grace Prescriptions builds on this legacy. Saturday, August 17 Saturday, October 12 Williamsburg Community Chapel Asbury University Williamsburg, Virginia Wilmore, Kentucky
William C. Peel, ThM
Taught by co-authors Walt Larimore, MD, and William C. Peel, ThM, we encourage you to come learn how God can use you to dispense Grace Prescriptions. For more information and to register, visit www.cmda.org/gracerx.
Accreditation with Commendation At its April 2013 meeting, the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (AACME®) changed CMDA’s accreditation status from Accreditation to Accreditation with Commendation. This is very rare with only a small percentage of the CME providers in the U.S. receiving this distinction. Accreditation with Commendation is awarded to providers that demonstrate compliance in all 22 criteria and the accreditation policies. It also means our recertification period goes from five years to seven years. The ACCME’s decision was based on a review of descriptions of improvements implemented and evidence of performance-in-practice. This new distinction demonstrates that CMDA is a learning organization and that we have demonstrated an engagement with our environment in support of physician learning and change for quality improvement. Led by Chairman Don Wood, MD, the CE Committee provides oversight and wisdom, while Barbara Snapp and Sharon Whitmer, EdD, help to build a quality continuing education program. This program allows us to provide educational courses both in the U.S. and overseas. For more information about continuing education opportunities from CMDA, visit www.cmda.org/ce. 8 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
Free Online Course in Clinical Ethics The office of Staff Development at Loma Linda University is offering a brief online introductory course in clinical ethics for members of ethics committees at healthcare institutions around the world. The content of the course was developed by Robert D. Orr, MD, CM, professor of medical ethics at LLU and a member of CMDA’s Board of Trustees. The course is designed to address case consultation and consists of four sessions. There will be discussion of some of the common issues that lead to requests for consultation in clinical ethics and a procedure that may be used in providing consultations. Each session includes brief readings, a didactic session given by Dr. Orr and two case studies. It is presented in a self-contained online format and may be taken at any time. Continuing education credit is available for a modest fee. For more information, visit www.ceonline.llu.edu.
transformations
Memorials Past CMDA President Robert B. Scheidt, MD, passed away on Saturday, December 14, 2012 after a brief illness with cancer. He was a 1956 graduate of Wheaton College and earned his medical degree from Northwestern Medical School in 1960. During the Berlin Crisis, he served in Germany as a captain in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for three years. Dr. Scheidt practiced general surgery in various locations in Ohio from 1969 to 2001. He was serving as a prison chaplain at the Lima Correction Institute. Robert is survived by his wife Sandra, four children and 10 grandchildren. A lifetime member of CMDA, he joined as a student during medical school and remained actively involved throughout his career. He served as president of CMDA from 1993 to 1995, helping to manage the organization during a period of transition. He also served as the chair of the bioethics committee for many years, serving as a spokesman to various media and news outlets. He also led short-term mission trips to the Dominican Republic for 20 years. Daniel Fountain, MD, went to be with the Lord on February 12, 2013 after a long illness. Dr. Fountain was a general surgeon who had a distinguished career as a medical missionary, health development expert, author and educator. He received his training at Colgate University, the University of Rochester Medical School and later Johns Hopkins University School of Hygiene and Public Health. He and his wife Miriam served at Vanga Hospital in Democratic Republic of Congo from 1960 to 1996. During their tenure, the 100-bed hospital grew to a 450-bed teaching hospital, with numerous outlying rural health centers providing curative, public and promotional health services. In 1992, Dr. Fountain co-founded MedSend with Dr. David Topazian to help alleviate the critical shortage of healthcare professionals on the mission field. He had a profound impact on missionary medicine, as well as U.S. doctors. His passion, vision and practical training on how to implement wholistic medicine changed many doctors’ practices all over the world. His lectures, writings and example will continue to touch patients’ lives and hearts for generations to come.
Need medicine for your next mission trip?
c Memoriam and Honorarium Gifts d Gifts received January through March 2013
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Elizabeth Young in memoriam of Dr. Henry Crowgey Warren M. Greene, MD in honor of James Coggins Alesa Miller in honor of Alva B. Weir, III Thomas D. and Carol Daniel in honor of Dr. Holly and Andy Austin Nick Sunderland in honor of Dr. Steven Green Dennis Senft in honor of Dr. Steven Green Timothy Oliveria in honor of Dr. Steven Green For more information about honorarium and memoriam gifts, please contact stewardship@cmda.org.
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 9
transformations
Seen
. . in Missions “Running the clinic has changed my perspective in medicine forever. I realize what an honor it is that I can become a physician and serve people.” —Medical student on a GHO trip to El Salvador
& Heard
“I am coming to realize that the destination (marvelous as it is!) is not as important as the journey the Lord has me on. I am already learning so much about what missions is and how much the Lord loves each person...and I’m not even on the flight yet! I love to learn, and I love people...so it’s easy for me to believe I will enjoy the hospital family. I am sure my dad will enjoy his time as well. He has a heart for missions. I am praying that the Lord will guide the staff as to where he and I can be servants and encouragers while we are there and that we will have His eyes to see the needs of the staff and patients alike. Thank you for sharing your missional wisdom gleaned from your experience to guide me in my prayers and preparation!” —To the Center for Medical Missions from a physician going on a short-term medical trip
the CMDA voice
“When I reflect on what has contributed to enable me to keep serving in medical missions, the CMDA-CMDE conference every two years has been a leading factor. Affordable, high-quality accredited medical education and Christian fellowship with medics working in Asia—a peer group that were it not for this conference I would not have anywhere else in this world! I actively look forward to this meeting, rearrange my home assignments so as not to miss it and leave each time feeling abundantly blessed.” —A CMDE conference attendee “I wanted to share the wonderful things the Lord is allowing and I trust He will continue to show His powerful hand. The first wave of doctors were very successful in training, relationship building and allowing a tremendous foundation for future work. There were and are so many relationships developed and embraced that only the Spirit can be seen as interceding…Many of the doctors have approached us already and would like to know more about us and our ‘beliefs.’ The government is so enthused that there have been national television conferences, news casts and national press exposure.” —A participant on a MEI trip to Macedonia
Website Directory Transformation
Equipping
Campus Ministries cmda.org/student Chapel & Prayer Ministries cmda.org/chapel Community Ministries cmda.org/ccm Dental Ministries cmda.org/dentist Medical Malpractice cmda.org/mmm Side By Side cmda.org/sidebyside Singles cmda.org/singles Specialty Sections cmda.org/specialtysections Women in Medicine & Dentistry cmda.org/wimd
Christian Doctor’s Digest cmda.org/cdd Conferences cmdaorg/meetings Donations cmda.org/donate Human Trafficking cmda.org/trafficking Membership joincmda.org Placement cmda.org/placement Today’s Christian Doctor cmda.org/tcd Weekly Devotions cmda.org/devotions
Service
American Academy of Medical Ethics ethicalhealthcare.org Washington Office cmda.org/washington Freedom2Care freedom2care.org
Center for Medical Missions cmda.org/cmm Global Health Outreach cmda.org/gho Global Health Relief cmda.org/ghr Medical Education International cmda.org/mei Pan-African Academy of Christian Surgeons cmda.org/paacs Scholarships cmda.org/scholarships 10 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
Voice
Social Media Blogs cmda.org/blogs Facebook facebook.com/cmdanational Twitter twitter.com/cmdanational YouTube youtube.com/cmdavideos
. . . on Campus “CMDA offered that support system to not only encourage me to continue my walk with Christ but also to keep going with school. When everything seemed negative and I was tempted to doubt, it was such a blessing to be pointed back in the right direction by members of CMDA. The Bible studies were like a breath of fresh air, and I have been thanking God for the support He gave me through them. But what really helped was the friendships I have made through CMDA, true friendships with other believers who really care and with whom I can share burdens.” —A medical student campus leader “CMDA has been a true blessing to me this semester. Every day I am surrounded all day with intellectuals and spend my time buried in books and listening to lectures. This semester I have been forced to fall back to God and rely on Him more than ever and CMDA has helped keep me mindful of the Lord. I have needed the encouragement I received from CMDA to keep me hungering and thirsting after the Lord. It also provided me with the opportunity to grow in Christ with my classmates, which was something I know we all needed. Overall, having CMDA has helped to keep me grounded and mindful of the Lord and I am truly thankful for that.” —A dental student
. . . in Ministry
“I just came from a Grand Rounds on prenatal diagnosis and how we can screen and diagnose so many conditions to facilitate things with our early pregnant patients. It was very well presented but ethically we are behind the technology. At the end of the talk, there was a Q&A. One of our bright, thoughtful and engaging CMDA medical students asked a simple question. He pondered, ‘Is all this prenatal diagnosis a little concerning for eugenics?‘ There was about a five to 10 second period of silence where everyone thought more deeply. This quick silence was followed by a few sighs then several nervous laughs. It ended quickly with a few comments like ‘Oh, I doubt that would ever be the issue’ and ‘Is he right?’ When we look at life and teach from a biblical worldview, our perceptions of reality, our guidance by the Holy Spirit and our lives are changed. This student gets it. He is making an impact. He is being ‘the light of the world’ within the walls of VCUHS. This would not happen without all of you being involved and being witnesses of what God has done and is doing in your lives. This is what we are tasked to do, ‘to go and make disciples.’” —CMDA council leader “I am grateful for the opportunity to be involved in this amazing organization. I have come to treasure the yearly House, National Conventions and, as a woman in medicine, the Women in Medicine and Dentistry conference that follows. At these meetings, I network and fellowship with new friends and participate in many inspirational plenary sessions where God meets me, every time. Some of my best and deepest friendships in the world have come through these conferences, as I get to meet with like-minded doctors and dentists. Definitely a spiritual highlight of my year! I can see how God has used these meetings with Godly people to change my life.” —CMDA State Representative
Have you been
transformed? Are you
transforming others?
We want to hear from you Send your transformation story, letter or photos to communications@cmda.org or to P.O. Box 7500, Bristol, TN 37621. Please include an email address for us to contact you.
We want to hear your story It can be a simple comment about a CMDA ministry; it can be an account of your experiences on a missions trip; it can be a profile of a member who has had a huge impact upon you; it can be photos from a campus meeting; it can be statistics showing how your trip served the needy; it can truly be anything— we want to see how your work is making a difference.
We want to hear your ideas Do you have a great idea for Today’s Christian Doctor? Send your ideas to communications@cmda.org.
Transformations one story at a time
showcasing the impact of CMDA
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 11
Add Mission BIOETHICS Don’t just add to your résumé; add mission to your career. Offering an intentional biblical perspective, Cedarville University's M.S.N. and Pharm.D. will equip you to serve others and excel professionally — which makes any career truly rewarding. Contact your career counselor today to learn more.
Visit cedarville.edu/add-mission or call 1-888-CEDARVILLE.
Offering graduate and adult programs in:
Business Education Nursing Pharmacy Bioethics
Time is running out. We need your help. Current and former trustees contributed $265,000 to establish a fund that will match unrestricted gifts made by June 30, the close of CMDA’s fiscal year. Your participation in the fiscal year-end challenge will ensure that medical marriages are strengthened, conscience rights are protected, students are mentored, the gospel is proclaimed and the healing hand of God is brought to the world’s poorest, most violent regions.
Visit www.cmda.org/giftmatch to contribute.
A Lasting Legacy Remembering Dr. C. Everett Koop by Mandi Mooney “I don’t think you can separate your spiritual beliefs from the way you work. It’s impossible. Some people say, ‘I don’t mix religion with my job,’ but I don’t know how they do that. If they can say that, their religion doesn’t mean much in their lives. Because if your religion means something to you, if you are a committed Christian, everything you do has that flavor to it.” These were the words spoken by C. Everett Koop, MD, during an interview published in the Christian Medical Society Journal in 1989. Once known as the most famous doctor in America and widely regarded as the most influential surgeon general in American history, Dr. Koop passed away at the age of 96 on February 25, 2013. Dr. Koop graduated from Dartmouth College in 1937 and received his MD degree from Cornell Medical College in 1941. He became Surgeon-in-Chief of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia in 1948, and quickly became a pediatric surgeon with an international reputation as he was the first surgeon to devote himself to pediatric surgery. His work with theologian
Francis Schaeffer on Whatever Happened to the Human Race?, a series of seminars, books and films designed to analyze the widespread implications and loss of human rights brought on by abortion, infanticide and euthanasia, drew national attention to the subject. As a result, President Ronald Reagan appointed him surgeon general of the United States in 1981, his first venture into public office. “I had a pretty tough time being confirmed as the surgeon general because of my pro-life stand. And I had really formidable groups of people including some Christian church bodies that believed what they heard…that nobody ever had been less qualified to be in public office than I,” said Dr. Koop in an interview on Christian Doctor’s Digest. “In spite of all of that, I realized that there was a tremendous number of Christian people who were praying for me. I never forgot those people—I didn’t know them—but I never forgot them.” After months of formidable testimony and delays, the U.S. Senate finally confirmed his appointment on November 16, 1981. He spent the next eight years changing the world’s view of tobacco use, writing the first official U.S. policy on AIDS and protecting the rights of newborns with defects. “I will use the written word, the spoken word and whatever I can in the electronic media to deliver health messages to this country as long as people will listen,” he promised. After his retirement, he was presented with the Surgeon General’s Exemplary Service Medal and the Surgeon General’s Medallion. In September 1995, Dr. Koop was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He authored more than 230 articles and books on the practice of medicine and surgery, biomedical ethics and health policy. He was awarded an Emmy in 1991 in the News and Documentary category for C. Everett Koop, MD, a five-part series on healthcare reform. Although he only served two terms as surgeon general, Dr. Koop left behind a legacy that will continue to endure long after his death.
14 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
Reflecting on His Legacy
While his obituaries talk about his many wonderful accomplishments, not many mention his faith and his faithfulness to Christ. “After I became a Christian, the doctrine that I espoused first and still cling to is that of the sovereignty of God. I see the sovereignty of God at hand in every single thing that happened in my life,” he said. He was a lifelong member of CMDA where we knew him by his nickname “Chick.” He became a member in 1950 and remained active until his death, providing leadership and support for 63 years. He wrote articles for Today’s Christian Doctor, recorded interviews for Christian Doctor’s Digest, did a tour of Africa in the early 1960s with other CMDA leaders to look at how to help mission hospitals, spoke at the organization’s first national student conference in the late 1990s and was a member of our Board of Reference. “My first message to medical students as I began to work with the Christian Medical Society in those days was you really have to earn the right to be a witness,” said Dr. Koop. “And if there’s any taint of mediocrity about how you’re doing your job, nobody’s going to listen to you. Whatever the job is you do, you do it to the best of your ability.” Dr. Koop lived a life marked by remarkable professional competence, compassionate care, bold leadership and vibrant witness. He was an example to us all of what it means to be a Christian doctor.
“In the same month he was confirmed by the Senate to be U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. Koop presented me The Gorgas Medal for ‘distinguished work in the field of preventive medicine.’ It may have been his first public function in that position. Though too young to appreciate the significance of the award, I was not too young to be again impressed by this man. He and Francis Schaeffer had already altered my worldview when I attended their last live presentation of Whatever Happened to the Human Race? And now, at this occasion, he would continue his mentoring role. As we met on the stage during the program, I whispered my gratitude for his influence on my life. He caught up with me after to offer a cup of coffee and conversation. I have cherished and benefited from those moments when a God-honoring man took time to encourage a young Christian doctor to be steadfast in his faith. We can honor Dr. Koop’s legacy by doing the same for others.” —CMDA Senior Vice President Gene Rudd, MD “Dr. Koop’s membership in CMDA for more than 50 years, his encouragement, support and example inspired me and tens of thousands of Christian doctors. His competence, clear witness and courage to speak truth into our culture gave him enormous influence in both Christian and secular circles. He was a giant among men.” —CMDA CEO David Stevens, MD, MA (Ethics) “Chick Koop was highly respected by the academic medical communities in Philadelphia for his surgical ability, integrity and mentoring of many pediatric surgeons. His book Whatever Happened to the Human Race stirred much controversy. The Evangelical community strongly supported his pro-life stance though he certainly was given plenty of grief from others. During those years I lived in Philadelphia and served on the Philadelphia Medical Society Committee on Religion in Medicine & Ethics. I was present the day a call came during Koop’s vetting for the job of Surgeon General of the U.S. A secretary interrupted our meeting to say we were the only persons in the offices and she had a call from Washington to ask if our medical society would fully endorse Koop for the position. Every member answered yes!” —Past CMDA President Dorothy M. Barbo, MD “The great Dr. C. Everett Koop, former surgeon general who encouraged Pres. Reagan to pump $7 billion into HIV research before HIV had a name, the first U.S. Surgeon General to stare down the tobacco industry, a father of pediatric surgery, pioneer in pediatric cancer treatment, trainer of surgeons from developing nations, a man whose generosity and encouragement were experienced by me personally in med school, passed away today at 96. A rich life of a true general of the faith. Now his real fun begins.” —CMDA Member Andre Van Mol, MD Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 15
cover story
Social Media in #Healthcare:
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Why You Should
Social Media Bill Reichart, MDiv
“C
hange is the only constant.” Those words spoken by the Greek philosopher Heraclitus 2,500 years ago are even truer today. Certainly the simple and provincial people of Heraclitus’ day could never have imagined the seismic rate of change that our society experiences and endures every single day. Part of that change has included the role of social media in the ways that families, churches, communities and organizations connect and communicate with one another. Social media has become ubiquitous in our culture. At the time of this writing, Facebook has more than one billion users, Instagram just hit the 100 million mark and Twitter is one of the fastest growing networks, topping off at 140 million users and growing. With almost absolute certainty, it is guaranteed that those numbers are going to rise even more in the months ahead. Social media is not a fad, it has become one of the ways we communicate, connect and collaborate with one another. Perhaps you already personally use social media networks such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with your family and friends. You may post family pictures, share a story or anecdote or simply use it to reconnect with a long lost friend. Yet is social media merely a frivolous pastime? Or does social media have a professional and practical role within medicine? Because social media is an ever-evolving and changing technology and medium, there is still a lot of uncertainty regarding how to effectively leverage and appropriately use it within medicine. Perhaps you are asking an entirely different set of questions. In a world filled with countless noise, chatter and distractions, some healthcare professionals—who are already over-leveraged and stressed—would ask, why even bother? Why do I need another device to check and “thing” to do in my life? Is there any real value in investing my time and energy in another online activity?
Although every individual healthcare professional needs to answer those questions for themselves, I do honestly believe there is real and tangible value in entering into this world of social media. If you are reluctant to engage with this vast online sea of pings, likes and tweets, I would encourage you to at least try it. Don’t worry about diving in headfirst. Wade into the shallow end and venture into exploring and trying social media at some level. But even as you do, it should be done with a clear and sober understanding of what you want to accomplish and how you want to use it.
Benefits of Using Social Media Dr. Kevin Pho, an internist in Nashua, New Hampshire, is a popular medical blogger who engages with his patients via Facebook and Twitter ( @KevinMD). He says about social media that, “These are powerful, tremendously influential tools, doctors should be taking advantage of the opportunity.” More and more doctors are beginning to experience the real and tangible benefits of using social media for their practices and their patients. Here are some of those benefits. Use social media to contribute to your professional development. Social media can serve as a virtual, online doctor’s lounge. Doctors can use Twitter and Facebook to follow their colleagues, health and professional organizations, periodicals and health-related sites in order to participate in the conversation on which journal articles or clinical research pieces are the most worthwhile. Because social media is just that—“social”—it goes beyond just being a tool for research and information collection but also helps develop real communication and conversation. Social media can help a doctor connect with colleagues around the world to talk shop and network. Social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook expand the doctor’s reach beyond the doctor’s lounge down the hospital corridor,
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an online Curriculum Vitae with personal recommendations, experience, education, skill and expertise. A LinkedIn profile can provide you with a great online first impression since Google gives profiles a high ranking visibility upon a search for your name. Use social media to market your practice. If you have ever had to squirrel away money for a marketing budget, you know that it can be a sizable chunk of change to market and advertise in magazines, billboards, radio and direct mail. Social media is practically FREE. Dr. Carmen Kavali, ( @DrKavali) a plastic surgeon in Atlanta, Georgia, says that social media posts on her practice’s Facebook page and Twitter account “increase our web visibility, which is key to our overall marketing.” Kathy Drake Browning sees the same benefit:
helping to connect them to thousands of people throughout the country and around the world. Executive Director of the Georgia Society of the American College of Surgeons Kathy Drake Browning ( @GaSACS) uses Twitter, Facebook and blogging to not only help her organization connect with its members but also to help the members connect with one another: “The biggest value for the physician organization is the ability to provide daily contact with their members and to remain relevant. For the individual physicians, this provides a single location to get information that is tailored for their needs.” Use social media to guard your online reputation. The fact is, people are talking about you online. They are grading you and commenting about you on various websites. The benefit of social media is that it lets you monitor, guard and shape your online reputation. Instead of just being a victim of what others say about you online, social media allows you get ahead of the conversation. On Twitter and Facebook, you get to craft the message and share your expertise with others. With LinkedIn, the professional social networking site now with more than 135 million users, you can put forward
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“Many patients are now using the internet to gain knowledge and information when deciding treatment options and/or choosing a physician in non emergent cases, for example, general surgery, bariatrics (weight loss) surgery, orthopedics (surgical and non surgical), urology (surgical and non surgical), gynecology (surgical and non surgical), pediatrics, obstetrics and internal medicine. Consequently, physician practice marketing has become important and the use of social media can be a very effective and cost efficient component of a marketing plan.” But you may be asking - is there a real, tangible return on investment with social media? Yes, according to Dr. Howard Luks ( @hjluks). In Bringing the Social Media #Revolution to Health Care, Dr. Luks measured that 7 to 10 percent of new patients entering his practice came because of his web and social media presence. Use social media to connect in the space that your patients already occupy. People are using social media more and more than ever. You don’t have to go looking to connect with patients; they are already engaged with Facebook and Twitter. Yet social media has become not only a place for them to connect but also to be informed. Patients are getting health information from online sources, especially social media, and have a high
measure of trust with the information shared on social media by doctors and health organizations.
Some Pitfalls and Cautions It is important to discuss the potential perils and pitfalls so that you go into this new world of social media with your eyes wide open. Just like any tool, used the wrong way or inappropriately, social media can have dire consequences and repercussions. Today, there is much more scrutiny regarding social media’s use and practice within the medical community. Medical boards are actively involved in investigating inappropriate use and conduct of doctors online. In fact, 71 percent of medical boards, at some time, have investigated doctors for posting questionable content online. A few of the activities that can possibly draw the attention of medical boards and may destroy your credibility may include: • Posting pictures of patients online without their permission • Misinformation on the physician practice website • Inappropriately contacting, “friending” or interacting with patients online, especially on Facebook • Posting misleading information about outcomes of drugs or procedures • Misrepresenting your credentials • Not disclosing conflicts of interests As doctors consider using social media, privacy of their patients must be a chief concern. Two sets of regulations are front and center when considering privacy issues: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) and HITECH (Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act). These regulations give guidance on how to protect patients’ privacy regarding their personal health information, and these regulations must also inform and guide doctors concerning their use of social medicine. With all of these potential ethical landmines, wouldn’t it just make sense for doctors to simply steer clear of social media? I believe that would simply be an unfortunate overreaction because there are ways to appropriately guard and protect yourself. First, simply use common sense. Ryan Greysen, MD, assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, offers the following as a guideline for using social media well: “People can really do a lot to stay out of trouble by applying common
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sense and avoiding the trap that you can do something online you wouldn’t do in real life.”
may have chosen to post and brag about on Facebook, are now coming back to haunt them.
Set up boundaries between your professional and personal social media presence. Even though 34 percent of physicians have received a “friend” request from a patient or the patient’s family members, becoming friends with a patient can blur the professional lines between doctor and patient, thereby opening a doctor to all kinds of ethical landmines. Dr. Kavali shared her journey into using social media within medicine, “I had an active personal Facebook page, and a lot of my patients were friending me on that page, which created a somewhat awkward situation. It just made sense to create a robust and living page for my practice.” It is important for doctors to create professional social media accounts with the goal of keeping your professional life separate from your personal.
According to a study published in the Postgraduate Medical Journal, medical school and residency program officials are increasingly taking such social media sites into serious consideration as they determine admissions.
Make sure you monitor your social media presence. Medical organizations have been early adopters with social media. Currently, more than 1,500 healthcare facilities and organizations are actively using social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The Mayo Clinic is one of the forerunners of social media within medicine. In fact, they even created the Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media (http://socialmedia.mayoclinic.org) and have published a book entitled Bringing the Social Media #Revolution to Health Care (available on Amazon). This effort and outreach by the Mayo Clinic to leverage social media is helping the medical community promote health, fight disease and improve healthcare. Yet even though there are many potential benefits of social media for patient health and information, it becomes likely that the more a doctor or organization increases their use of social media, the more “control” becomes lost. The fact is, you can’t “control” social media, but you can manage it.
Even with all of the challenges and cautions of doctors using social media, I believe its benefits significantly outweigh the real and perceived risks.
Kathy Drake Browning actively uses all forms of social media within her organization and yet she cautions, “While I believe social media is a very useful tool, like all tools, it must be used with care. If physicians or organizations are using social media, have guidelines establish beforehand. Monitor and edit the sites carefully, especially if you allow others to post comments. Only repost from reliable sources and make sure you have permission to link articles.” Realize that everything you put on social media is “forever.” Medical students are now discovering that sobering truth. They are being faced with the fact that their high school or college indiscretions, which they
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A 2009 survey of 600 medical school admissions officers and residency directors found that only 9 percent of respondents use social media websites to evaluate students as part of the admissions process, yet 53 percent said applicants could jeopardize their chances of being accepted by posting unprofessional information online. Those percentages have most likely only risen since the study was conducted four years ago. It is more important than ever to be cautious and prudent in what you share and post, even though you may consider it purely personal.
How to Create Social Media Success If you are new to social media, the first step is to start. Yet you may want to wade into the shallow end before simply diving into the deep. At first, social media may not feel natural or make complete sense, but the more you use it, the more familiar and natural it will become. Play with it. Give yourself the freedom to fail and figure it out. Ask questions with those involved in social media. Decide how you want to use social media. If you want to use social media as a means of connecting with your colleagues, managing your online reputation or perhaps using it as an online “doctor’s lounge,” then I recommend you start using Twitter. Set up an account and even before you start posting, start following others and observing the conversations. Follow doctors you know or those in your specialty. Observe how they are using it. What kind of content are they posting, and how frequently are they engaged with it? Visit www.twitterdoctors.net, a database of physicians who tweet, to find doctors using social media and connect with them. So far, more than 1,300 doctors have already registered. Do you want to start following and listening to conversations surrounding healthcare issues and topics? If so, search within twitter conversations marked with a hashtag. A hashtag is the “#” symbol and is used to mark keywords or topics in a tweet. Visit
www.symplur.com/healthcare-hashtags for a complete listing of #hashtags about healthcare-related topics, chats and conferences that you can follow on Twitter. Perhaps you decide you would rather use social media in order to engage more with your patients and market yourself and your practice more. Then you might want to consider setting up a Facebook page. Having a Facebook page for your practice is something your staff can participate in contributing to and managing. Even though you will be setting up a professional page for your practice, Facebook does require that an individual user of Facebook set it up. Therefore, either you or someone on your staff is going to need to take the first step in setting up your Facebook page. The next step is to get people connected to it. Using your current communication touch points, encourage your patients to “like” your page and join. Use your Facebook page to post links to relevant medical articles, news and critical information about your practice. You can also add pictures and profiles of your staff. Try posting patient success stories in addition to explanations of procedures and treatment options. Interaction is always important, so you should try interacting with patients through polls and one-on-one conversations through comments and questions. Having a Facebook page will create a personalized online presence and engage your patients.
use social media as a marketing bullhorn but engage with others and share other’s content. “[Social media is] an electronic way of extending the conversation,” says Dr. Thomas Lee, an orthopedic surgeon in Westerville, Ohio. “It creates a vibrant sense of community and a wonderful back-and-forth dialogue.” I hope you are encouraged and excited about the opportunities that await you within social media. So what are you waiting for? Don’t worry if you make mistakes along the way, social media is very forgiving - just get in there and give it a try. I look forward to seeing you there in cyberspace. For more information, please utilize these resources: American Medical News: http://www.amednews.com Johns Hopkins Medicine: http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/ releases/one_in_four_physicians_uses_social_media_ daily Medscape: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/777711 Mayo Clinic Center for Social Media: http://socialmedia.mayoclinic.org
Keys to Success Post and contribute content consistently. The worst thing you can do is to set up a social media account and then go AWOL, not posting anything fresh for weeks on end. Have a plan. If you begin using social media, then clarify some basic expectations - ownership (who will contribute and post to your sites), content (what type of content will you post) and frequency (how often will you post - and schedule your posts and content ahead of time using tools such as www.hootsuite.com). Be human. Dr. Kavali believes that being human is essential to all she does within social media, “I use social media to let people know more about who we are and what we believe. I want people to be able to look at our pages and come away knowing that we are an office for ‘real’ people, that we can sympathize and empathize with them and their needs and that we are compassionate communicators.” Participate in conversation. Conversation puts the social into social media, so it is important not to simply
About The Author
Bill Reichart, MDiv, has more than 25 years of ministry experience and currently works as the Atlanta Area Director for CMDA. Bill holds a BS is computer science from Towson University and an MDiv from Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, Florida. Bill consults with churches, ministry leaders and small businesses on how to use and leverage technology and social media for their organizations. He currently owns, writes and edits www.MinistryBestPractices. com, a website that helps equip leaders for innovative ministry. Bill is married to his wonderful wife Lauren of more than 23 years and has two beautiful daughters who have captured his heart. You can contact Bill and find his various social media sites at www. BillReichart.me.
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Contentment T h e S e c re t o f a L a s t i n g C a l m Richard A. Swenson, MD
I
f someone offered me a parka in a blizzard, I’d take it. Same with a hat in Death Valley, soup during a famine or a parachute in freefall. I’d not only take these things, I’d lunge for them. You would too. When desperate, we accept help. How strange, then, that when God offers us gifts to fit our desperate need, He finds us uninterested. His gift of contentment, for example. Even if, for many of us, this is precisely the prescription for our ailment, I never encounter the word anymore. It has so little cultural traction that I don’t even hear it in casual conversation, let alone preached or praised. The word contented has been replaced by driven, aggressive, hungry, ruthless, relentless. Taking a deeper look, however, we notice that contentment has been a principle in good standing throughout history, endorsed by philosophers, statesmen, men of letters and theologians of all religions. Even if times were marked by destitution, tragedy and pestilence; even if gutters were filled with beggars, doorways filled with prostitutes and people beat each other with chickens; still, contentment was lifted high. Thought
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leaders endorsed contentment as a source of hidden comfort and riches, treasured within a human heart despite circumstances. It is only recently that contentment has fallen out of favor. With the escalating totalitarianism of progress and economics, something had to give, so contentment was replaced by unbridled ambition. No one stopped to have a memorial service nor slowed to light a candle. Although all humanity can benefit from the contentment principle, those in the household of faith have a stronger pull than the endorsement of history. We have the endorsement of God: 1) The Tenth Commandment demands we not covet; 2) The Wisdom Literature, particularly Psalms and Proverbs, speak of a calm satisfaction in God’s sovereignty; 3) The life and teachings of Jesus reveal a consistent endorsement of contentment; 4) The Epistles contain three passages (1 Timothy 6, Philippians 4 and Hebrews 13) where contentment is both commended and commanded. Here is our choice. We can live with discontentment, relentlessly striving after dissatisfactions we
can scarcely name while incurring the collateral damage of greed, excess, envy, comparison, unhappiness, strife, debt, ruin and enmity with God. Or we can choose to live with biblical contentment, to accept adversity with peace, to “rest in the shadow of the Almighty,” to have faith in God’s plan for our lives, to believe God knows precisely what He is doing, to trust that He has considered every possibility and chosen the right course for us. God, as you know, is our friend, and, frankly, that ought to seal the deal right there. Contentment is particularly helpful in wild and disruptive times, which should bump it up near the top of our formulary. The world system is locked in an acceleration trap, and otherwise intelligent leaders are making it up as they go. The astounding rate of change is highly destabilizing. Volatility is widespread. The math is dysfunctional on nearly all fronts. As a result, nearly everything is being shaken— economics, the middle class, housing, education, employment, politics, the institutions of
family and faith, demographics, immigration, the publishing and music industries, the military, the auto and airline industries, entitlements such as Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, traditions, Europe, Middle East, South Central Asia, Pacific Rim—and that’s only a partial list. Oh, and healthcare. Bioethics too. Many in healthcare are struggling to resuscitate their vision of the future, with mixed success. “I believe this is a very special moment in history, a kind of perfect storm,” one pundit recently commented. “There is a growing recognition that our world has become unmanageable.” Sounds like healthcare to me. God knows a lot about disruptive times and nothing is “unmanageable” for Him. The Father’s provision, presence and providence are always perfect, and they usher us into a state of contentment. If that sounds like a platitude, it’s actually God’s formula for wellbeing in the midst of turbulence. His gift of contentment is completely unlike anything this culture has to offer. Following are a few illustrations of what this contentment entails.
A FEELING OF BEING UNENCUMBERED Waiting in a Dallas airport security line, I spotted a couple from New Zealand just in front of me. When I asked if they lived anywhere near the Christchurch earthquakes, the man said, “Actually, we live in Christchurch.” My smile disappeared. “Oh my. Did you have any damage?” The wife said, “Our house and my place of work were destroyed. My husband’s office was severely damaged. But we had a prepaid holiday to the U.S., so we decided to come on the trip anyway.” “I am very sorry about your losses,” I said. The man said something I’ll never forget. “We feel strangely unencumbered.” They both smiled.
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What? You’re kidding, right? You lose everything and feel unencumbered? Most, even the well-insured, would feel trammeled for years. I wished we could have had hours together, but my gate was calling. The truest kind of biblical contentment is a state of feeling unencumbered. It is a state of absence of fear or anxiety about what we own or don’t own. It is being unencumbered by comparisons, regardless of our neighbor or colleague or in-laws. It is being released from the perseveration of dark thoughts about entrapment or depression.
A STATE OF FREEDOM “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want” is God speaking code about a secret path to freedom (Psalm 23:1, ESV). Freedom from wanting more than is good for us. Freedom to wish blessing on everyone we meet without the slightest tinge of envy. Freedom to redefine wealth and possessions in biblical rather than cultural terms. Freedom to gladly surrender our strife and have it replaced by His rest. Freedom to be biblically authentic in an age of financially-forced compromises. Freedom to understand that one heart, inhabited by Christ, is enough to take on the world’s opinion machine. There is no freedom like understanding “it is enough to exist for the glory of God alone.” Once we surrender, once we are fully content to be all in, the joy begins to flow.
A SECRET TO BE LEARNED “I have learned the secret of being content,” Paul wrote in Philippians 4:12 (NIV 2011). What does he mean? J. I. Packer says the word secret was intentional and it suggests being “initiated” into a secret teaching. Paul was “instructed” in a mysterious hidden truth unknown to the world but shared among the close confidants of God.
ize there is no end to the spiritual riches the heavenly Father pours into our lives. We now have within us that which is above us, and our joy comes alive realizing the world no longer has access to our affections or moods.
AS UNSHAKABLE AND STEADFAST AS GOD HIMSELF Hebrews 13:5 reads, “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you’” (NIV 2011). Here God commands that we be content and links this command with His own fidelity to us. God never forsakes His people. He demonstrated it in Gethsemane and on Golgotha. Jesus wanted to pull back, but He stuck it out. Even when He sweat great drops like blood, even when they stripped Him and flogged Him, even when they hammered spikes through His bones, even—in the ghastliest of moments—when He became a sin-bearer for me, even when the Father turned His face away, even when the Messiah cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46, NIV 2011). Do you think, after all He has gone through, He would abandon us now?
Paul did not buy his way into this secret, nor did he acquire enough merit badges to earn it. The first step to gaining the secret of contentment is that we must want it. Second, we must agree to rid ourselves of the pincer claws of this world. Third, God must judge us earnest enough to make good use of it. Then we gain entrance to the priceless treasure.
“It is almost impossible to reproduce in English the emphasis of the original, in which no less than five negatives are used to increase the strength of the negation,” writes biblical scholar Arthur Pink. “Perhaps the nearest approximation is to render it, ‘I will never, no, never leave thee, nor ever forsake thee.’”
This secret is one of both freedom and power. When God’s providence is apprehended by our soul, we real-
This is the greatest kind of security, to know that God is our friend and nothing can separate us from Him.
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To those who belong to His family, neither death nor life nor angels nor demons nor the present nor the future nor powers nor height nor depth nor ObamaCare nor EHRs nor Medicare reimbursements nor hospital administrators nor malpractice attorneys—nothing can separate us from God’s love. Why? Because God refuses to leave us. He never forsakes His people.
The human version of contentment is slippery, is vaporous, cannot be guaranteed by any level of financial attainment and is almost totally a relative experience. God’s contentment, however, is divorced from circumstances, devoid of comparisons, independent of wealth or status and entails a complete spectrum from top to bottom. Its intention is to set us free and to give us peace, rest, trust and openheartedness. Perhaps this can be glimpsed in George MacDonald’s wise words: “I do not think that the road to contentment lies in despising what we have not got. Let us acknowledge all good, all delight that the world holds, and be content without it.” Amen.
About The Author
RICHARD A. SWENSON, MD, received his BS in physics from Denison University and his MD from University of Illinois School of Medicine. For 15 years, Dr. Swenson was an associate clinical professor with the University of Wisconsin Medical School - Department of Family Medicine. He is currently a full-time futurist, physician-researcher, author and educator. Dr. Swenson is the author of nine books, including the bestselling MARGIN: Restoring Emotional, Physical, Financial and Time Reserves to Overloaded Lives and THE OVERLOAD SYNDROME: Learning to Live within Your Limits. He has written and presented widely, including both national and international settings, on the themes of margin, stress, overload, life balance, complexity, societal change, healthcare and future trends. For more information, visit www. richardswenson.com.
It’s important to find the right fit for you, your family, your practice and your faith.
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The
Power of
Discipleship: Encouraging Commitment to Missions by William Griffin, DDS
O
ver the last decade or so, I have had the privilege of helping lead short-term dental mission trips to Jamaica. Along with Dr. Jim Carney, who has been to Jamaica more than 80 times and has established seven fixed clinics throughout the country, we assemble teams to treat patients in some of the neediest areas of the country. A large majority of the team members are students—either undergraduates considering a career in dentistry or dental students in the process of preparing for their profession. In our interactions with hundreds of students over the years, we have had the privilege of seeing much fruit from our labors. Students grow through their clinical experience, cross-cultural exposure and the call to service in a way that perhaps only eternity will fully reveal. This is why discipleship is so important on the mission field. As it says in 2 Timothy 2:2, “The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also” (NASB). As we spend time with each student, they are impacted exponentially through their work in the clinics, through their interactions with mentor doctors and through the relationships they develop with other students. And it doesn’t stop at the end of the trip. Their studies, their future careers and their relationships are impacted. They in turn impact others around them, effectively creating a never-ending cycle with eternal results. The following stories are shared with us by five of the students we worked with—students who were impacted and continue to be involved in short-term dental missions after their initial trips. Each person has a different story to tell, and together they help display the power of serving others, the power of discipleship and, most importantly, the power of God through short-term dental mission trips. 26 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
Chad
Chad went on his first dental mission trip in July 2001, along with 20 or so of his Iowa classmates. The location was Mavis Bank, Jamaica, a rural town in the Blue Mountains, about an hour from Kingston. He was halfway through dental school and most of the classroom requirements were behind him, but he had yet to pull his first tooth. In his words, “I had hoped it would provide me with an abundance of hands-on clinical experience early in my training that I simply couldn’t get at school at that time—particularly oral surgery, which was my passion.” Chad’s goal was realized, more than he could have anticipated. “I think this gave me a leg up in school, increased my confidence and reaffirmed my love for surgery.” In addition to the development of clinical skills, the trip also “made me a more understanding and empathetic individual and provider.” Fast forward to October 2012: Chad, by this time a practicing oral surgeon, helped to organize a return trip to Jamaica, along with three other dentists (one his father-in-law) and six dental students. Why did he go again? “I was compelled to return because I really longed to experience the culture and people again. I knew the good I could do for a great number of suffering individuals, what a mere single extraction can do for an individual, the respect and dignity it could add to a person’s life.” With respect to the future, he says, “I’m excited to make this a regular part of my professional career.”
Chris
While still an undergraduate at Florida State University in 2009, Chris headed to Jamaica to test the professional waters of dentistry. He was initially attracted to dentistry because of his desire to help the less fortunate. Thinking back on his trip, Chris recalls, “I was the only undergrad on the trip, so I got to rack the brains of all the dental students on the trip who were so much farther along than I was. This trip also gave me a great picture of what Christian missions can be with dentistry as the tool.” Having confirmed his desire to pursue a career in dentistry, Chris worked hard to gain admission to the University of Louisville. There he met other like-minded students who desired to cultivate their dental skills and servant hearts on the mission field. The twin bonds they shared— Christ and dentistry—created a team of six Louisville dental students who joined forces to serve the people of Jamaica in March 2013. For multiple reasons, Chris seeks to make future dental mission trips a regular part of his life. In addition to the opportunity to minister to others, he also describes these trips as “a growing experience for those of us that go. It’s only by the grace of God that I am in dental school and have the opportunity to provide a service to those less fortunate.” He describes his service as “more than relieving someone of physical pain, but doing so in a way that might point them to the eternal comfort of the gospel.” He hopes that this “mission trip mentality” will overflow into his dental efforts back home in the states as well.
nicole
With three years of dental school training at the University of Oklahoma under her belt, Nicole headed for Jamaica in March 2009, part of a team of 12 students, dentists and spouses. “My husband and I were excited to help reach out to the Jamaican people. We wanted to experience a new culture while helping provide assistance to an underserved population.” Nicole was surprised to find a well-equipped dental clinic right in the heart of rural Jamaica. She was amazed at seeing large groups of patients every morning. They were desperate for care, but the sincerity and strength of their faith made a profound impression on her. The singing and the praying of those seeking care was a strong testimony to the fact that the greatest joy comes from spiritual, not material, sources. It was not a surprise when Nicole helped initiate another trip to Jamaica, three years after her first. By this time she was a dentist in private practice, and determined to share the joy she had discovered, Nicole’s return trip included a dentist and his two sons and a hygienist from her private practice. All four were on their first dental mission trip, but probably not their last. Nicole’s take-home message: “God works in your life when you step out of your comfort zone for Him.”
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 27
phil
Phil’s first dental mission trip was as part of a Global Health Outreach (GHO) team to Ecuador during his spring break in 2007. Interestingly, it was a physical injury that got him started in dental mission trips. “During my second year of dental school, I threw my back out and was not able to stand on my feet for a few days. I was afraid that this was the end of my dream of becoming a dentist. Many thoughts went through my mind while I was confined to my bed. I had been putting off serving the Lord, saying, ‘after I become a dentist and am financially stable, I will begin to serve.’ After many prayers and anti-inflammatories, my back recovered, but this was the wake up call the Lord used to get me into the mission field.” Some with back problems might interpret this as a sign from the Lord that missionary dentistry is too risky a pursuit, but Phil took an alternative view. In gratitude for the blessing of a career in dentistry, he pledged to do one trip a year, as long as he was able. In 2009, he traveled to Jamaica with others from Oklahoma, and his mission trip experience greatly exceeded his expectations. In his words, “My personal relationship with God, my relationship with my wife and my relationship with my classmates all grew stronger.” Phil’s wife Grace had also been contemplating a career in dentistry. The week she spent assisting her husband and other students in Jamaica was the final nudge that convinced her to follow her husband’s lead, and she is now in the process of earning her own dental degree. Grace’s experience in Jamaica echoes the words of her husband, “By the end of the trip I realized that He was with us every step of the way, protecting us and empowering us to do more than what we alone are capable of.”
28 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
kyle
In March 2010, Dr. Carney and I accompanied six dental students from the University of Iowa to Treasure Beach, Jamaica. It was one of the smallest teams we had ever worked with, and I have to admit that prior to the trip I was a bit disappointed that there would be so few students. In retrospect, it was one of the best trips ever, because that was when we met Kyle. Kyle was in his second year of dental school, and he signed up for the trip because he wanted to gain some clinical experience and learn about the Jamaican culture. Although his conservative goals were met, he would later describe the trip as being “beyond imagination. The clinical experience was far more than I expected, and my relationship with the Lord began in Jamaica.” Kyle grew up going to church and was exposed to the Christian faith in various ways, but his early concept of God was as a rule-maker and judge. This correct, but limited, view of God was challenged during devotions on his first mission trip when he and the rest of the team were posed with two questions: “Do you know you are going to heaven?” and “Why should God let you in?” His response indicated dependence on his good works, hoping this would outweigh the negative actions of his life. As the gospel was explained during the week, it gave Kyle and his classmates material for discussions that went far into the evenings. A few years later, the truth of the gospel broke through; as Kyle read a book about marriage, he came face-to-face with the overwhelming power of God’s love in Jesus Christ. In his words, “I willfully, with many tears of gratitude, handed my life over to Him.” Kyle offered the following advice for dental students who might have been exposed to Christianity, but aren’t quite sure where they stand: “Continue to ask questions. If you aren’t sure you know where you stand, you are exactly where I was. You are probably afraid of surrendering to Him, because you know you have not lived up to His standards. You know you could never stack up to the standards of the One who judges justly, but don’t be discouraged, because this is where Jesus’ perfect sacrifice comes into play. Take up the cross with Jesus Christ, accept Him as your Savior. Ask the Lord to help you in your convictions. Do not give up hope or stop searching, ever!”
These five stories are just small snippets of their full testimonies and they offer us only a minuscule inside look at the full impact on their lives and the lives of others. The names and circumstances are a bit different, but each experience illustrates the truth of Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (ESV). What a powerful message, what a powerful demonstration of His allconsuming power and love. And it all started with one short-term mission trip. Are you ready to start experiencing that power? As a ministry of CMDA, Global Health Outreach offers 40 to 50 short-term mission opportunities each year to locations across the globe. Whether you are just beginning to get involved in medical missions or you have years of experience, these trips are guaranteed to start your impact story. Visit www.cmda.org/gho to get involved today.
About The Author
William Griffin, DDS, is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame and Virginia Commonwealth University School of Dentistry. He has practiced dentistry in Newport News, Virginia since 1983, and has been a member of CMDA since 1981. Dr. Griffin enjoys three to four international dental mission trips a year, and he also encourages other to become involved through a website he created, www.dentalmissiontrips.org. In addition, he volunteers his time as the dental director and president of the board of the Lackey Free Clinic, a Christian medical-dental ministry in Yorktown, Virginia. Dr. Griffin also serves as a member of the CDA Dental Advisory Board. He and his wife Linda have two children, Katherine and Will, Jr.
256 pages, paperback, 978-0-8308-3416-7, $16.00
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Bracing for Battle and Joining the Fray: State Legislative Campaigns Reach New Levels by Margie Shealy and Mandi Mooney
D
r. Susan Giles had been waiting all day long. For more than 12 hours, she had been sitting in the back of the room waiting for her name to be called. She waited through countless testimonies from physicians, healthcare providers, politicians, patients, family members, activists and others. She waited while speakers advocated for their positions, the highly-contested debate lurching back and forth. As the hours dragged on and others gave up hope of being able to testify and left, Susan continued to wait. She waited because the issue was simply too important to ignore. If she didn’t wait, who else would? At 11:30 p.m., nearly 13 hours after she arrived at the Connecticut State Capitol, her name was finally called and she walked to the front of the room to add her voice to the fight. It was her turn to join the front lines of the battle against physician-assisted suicide (PAS). “To date I had not been politically active, but upon hearing of the bill’s stealth presentation in my own state, my conscience called me to action just days before the public hearing took place,” said Dr. Giles, who is a CMDA member along with her husband Dr. David Giles. “The nearly 13 hours of public hearing prior to my speaking gave me perspective that the opposition has a very earnest, poignant and human face, yet their arguments are fear-driven and based on the quest for unmitigated self-determination. I was one of only a handful of physicians to testify that long day; in retrospect, I have a deeper understanding for the credibility our profession carries, our words have clout.”
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 31
times daily—basis, CMDA is notified about new bills, new amendments, new movements in state legislations with potentially severe ramifications for Christians serving in healthcare. The campaigns face an aggressive barrage of developments much like a rollercoaster, jockeying from small victories to major defeats within days.
Susan was one of dozens who raised their voices in opposition against H.B. 6645, a state bill which would legalize PAS in Connecticut, allowing physicians to prescribe lethal drugs—without administering the drugs themselves—to patients in order for them to end their lives. If the bill were passed, Connecticut would become the third U.S. state to legalize PAS, behind Oregon and Washington. But this bill is far worse than others as it eliminates waiting periods, offers weaker protections for healthcare facilities and doesn’t require a second opinion, reporting, annual record audits or counseling. “Regardless of our specialties, we physicians have vowed to ‘first do no harm.’ We are simply not in the business of killing our patients,” she explained in her testimony. “Were we to assist in doing so— even in the rarest and most dire of circumstances— we would undermine the concept of trust, which is fundamental to the doctor-patient relationship.”
[Editor’s Note: Due to the quick-paced nature of state campaigns, some of the following information will likely change as Today’s Christian Doctor goes to print. For up to date information, please visit www. cmda.org/statepolicy.]
Montana
The fight against PAS in Montana was an ongoing struggle since 2008, with numerous twists and turns in amendments designed to confuse and halt any opposition. CMDA member Dr. David Hafer and his wife Bobbie spearheaded the campaign, spending countless hours and their own finances to fight legalization of PAS in their state. Recently, they met with the editorial board of Daily Inter Lake and spent more than an hour discussing the issue. “When we left the meeting, we knew we had done what the Lord had asked us to do, but we had no idea then how they would come
For Dr. Giles, the waiting paid off. The Connecticut Public Health Committee set aside the bill, effectively killing the bill for this legislative session. It is a major victory in the battle against PAS, but the fight is far from over. The bill will most likely reappear on the docket next year (if not earlier), with its proponents better prepared to face off against pro-life supporters. And it doesn’t stop there. Connecticut is just one of several states facing legislation campaigns for issues including PAS, abortion, fetal pain, right of conscience and others. On what seems to be a weekly—and some32 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
Dr. David and Bobbie Hafer orchestrated the efforts against physician-assisted suicide in Montana.
down on the issue,” said Bobbie. As a result, the newspaper released its support of H.B. 505 which would prohibit PAS. In addition, the Hafers oversaw CMDA’s involvement in participating in a full-page advertisement placed in major Montana newspapers which showed the signatures of 112 doctors against PAS. Unfortunately, the Montana Senate rejected the measure after it failed to get a majority of support from the Senate Judiciary Committee.
New Jersey
Two identical bills—A.B. 3328 and S.B. 2259—are making the rounds in the New Jersey legislature to legalize PAS. The legislature has the option to remove it from the ballot and vote on it, thereby becoming law without a state ballot. The bills could be voted on at almost any time, without much warning to mobilize efforts against them. A coalition, The Alliance Against Doctor Prescribed Suicide, is being created to proactively generate support amongst the opponents of the bill.
New Hampshire
Although PAS has been a relatively quiet topic in New Hampshire in the last few years, it was recently brought to the foreground again when H.B. 403 was introduced earlier this year. The bill establishes a committee to study end-of-life decisions. A committee was established in March, with its first meeting expected to happen in the coming weeks. Based on its findings, the committee will present any recommendations to the state legislation. Until further developments occur, prayer is the most important asset.
New York
In his State of the State speech in January, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced his intent to propose the Women’s Reproductive Health Act, legislation that would expand abortion rights. It would specifically guarantee women the right to late-term abortions when their health is in danger or the fetus is not viable. The proposal will also allow licensed healthcare practitioners, not just physicians, to perform abortions. A coalition of doctors, including CMDA member Dr. Ali Ko Tsai, held a press conference in March to oppose the act, focusing on how it might endanger the physical and emotional health of women. New York CMDA members were encouraged to sign a petition opposing the act, but further action will be delayed until the act is officially released in writing by the governor.
Texas
The issue of abortion is also making headlines in Texas as a result of S.B. 537. Co-authored by three senator physicians, the bill is aimed at raising the regulations governing clinics. It would require abortion facilities to meet the minimum standards of care that are required for outpatient surgical facilities. CMDA members stepped into the action by imploring the Texas Medical Association to not oppose the bill. As a result, the TMA did not take a position on the bill, a small victory toward the bill’s success.
Vermont
Vermont has faced the battle against PAS before, but it has always been defeated due in large part to CMDA members’ involvement in the battle. This time around, confusion and dissatisfaction seem to be the name of the game. S. 77 proposes to legalize PAS, but after it made its way through several steps within the Vermont Senate, the bill was amended to the point of non-recognition. The amended version caused confusion on both sides of the argument, as it focuses on physician and family immunity without offering any safeguards. The bill is now in the hands of the House Committee on Human Services, and testimony was heard with a vote slated to be taken soon.
Will you join the fray?
This is a war that CMDA is committed to fighting on your behalf, serving as a Christian voice against the cacophony of our opponents. But we need your help to continue making a difference and securing lifesaving victories. “More physicians willing to speak are clearly needed. Educate yourselves now on the arguments for and against such practices before a bill is quietly introduced in your state,” said Dr. Giles. These state campaigns are having success through the efforts of individuals just like Susan Giles and the Hafers. Individuals who realized that sitting back and ignoring the problems were no longer valid options. Individuals who decided they had to stand up and serve as a voice of Christian reason before it was too late. As Edmund Burke said, “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Now is our chance, now is our time; let us take a stand and act—while we can.
Christian Medical & Dental Associations www.cmda.org 33
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Position Wanted Experienced Christian Doctor - CMDA member seeking part-time, general dentistry position in Southern New Hampshire or Northeastern Massachusetts. Contact information: Phone: 603-893-3670; email: drjosephdds@aol.com.
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Medical Positions Open Academic - Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine - Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs - Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM) invites applications for the position of Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs. The successful candidate will have a PhD in the biomedical sciences, with preference given to candidates with successful experience in teaching and with research at the medical school level. The mission of CUSOM is to educate and prepare community–based osteopathic physicians in a Christian environment to care for the rural and underserved populations in North Carolina, the southeastern United States and the nation. Applications must be submitted electronically through Human Resources at www.campbell.edu. CEO - Blessings International, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma operates as a 501(c)(3) Christian non-profit organization supplying low cost, high quality pharmaceuticals and supplies to over 3,000 traveling medical mission teams serving 140 countries 34 Today’s Christian Doctor Summer 13
To place a classified advertisement, contact communications@cmda.org.
annually. The CEO’s responsibilities include overall leadership, planning, operations, fundraising and financial management of the ministry. The CEO will possess knowledge and experience in drug usage and dosage, the business acumen to direct operations (product acquisition and inventory management, packaging and distribution) and financial management and strong leadership skills in team and consensus building. For more information, contact Ron Infinger, Keystone Executive Search, rinfinger@keystone-consulting.com. Dermatology - An independent dermatology practice in Kearney, Nebraska seeking a full-time or part-time dermatologist. Great potential for a busy practice in a wonderful family-centered community. Mission is not only to provide excellent dermatologic care but also minister to patient’s spiritual needs. Currently one full-time dermatologist treating an average of 35 to 40 patients a day. Please contact Sharon Bond, MD, at 308-440-3945 or sbbderm@charter.net, or Lori Grubbs, office manager, at 308-865-2214.
Family Practice Rewarding & Purposeful Career Opportunity - Mid-Level Christian Clinic Director needed to lead primary patient care and women’s health. Clinic Director oversees five staff and 200+ volunteers to provide holistic healthcare for women 18 to 64 who are uninsured/underinsured. Dream Centers of Colorado Springs Women’s Clinic is a collaborative effort to provide spiritual, mental, social and physical care while balancing motives of compassion and justice. Requirements: strong communicator, visionary leader with values and vision of the clinic (dreamcenterscos.org), master’s degree in nursing (NP) or physician assistant (PA), minimum of one year practice, with experience/training in primary care/internal medicine and women’s health. For full job description, email info@ dreamcenterscos.org. Medical doctor, doctor of osteopathy or nurse practitioner needed for medical ministry to older adults in homes, SNFs and ALFs. Non-profit Christian practice serving frail elders and homebound with a focus on quality care, compassion and connection with Christ. Mission-minded team. Flexible work schedule. No hospital rounds required. On Site for Seniors (N. Idaho). Visit www.onsite4seniors.org, email lmartin@onsite4seniors.org or phone 208-664-3301.
Mad River Family Practice is a progressive community-based family practice in WestCentral Ohio. Currently seeking a full-time family physician to join a practice founded on lifelong learners and forward-thinking clinicians. Enjoy the rewards of a full scope of practice in a supportive group environment. Our family physicians place strong emphasis on addressing spiritual needs, as well as physical and mental needs. Practice offerings include: a vibrant and longstanding practice with varied demographics, flexibility in style and range of family practice, opportunities to foster medical education among students in healthcare, a welcoming community in West-Central Ohio, with easy commuting to Columbus and Dayton, Ohio and a competitive salary and benefits package. Contact Tara Wagner at tara.wagner@maryrutan.org or call 937465-0080. Family Medicine/Internal Medicine – Come have fun in the sun with Baptist Primary Care, the largest network of primary care physicians in Northeast Florida, with 193 physicians and 48 outpatient offices. Baptist Primary Care patients benefit from access to Baptist Medical Center, the most preferred healthcare system in Jacksonville, with over 2,500 specialists and five nationally accredited hospitals. Patient’s requiring hospitalization are cared for by our hospitalist team providing 24/7 oversight. Full-time and job share opportunities available. Qualified candidates must be BE/BC. Attractive compensation and benefit packages allow for a perfect balance between work and play. Contact Jolene Bowman at 904-376-3727 or Jolene.Bowman@bmcjax.com. OB/Gyn - Seeking board certified/board eligible OB/Gyn to take over a thriving practice in Ponca City, Oklahoma located 45 minutes from a major university and 1.5 hours from Wichita, Oklahoma City and Tulsa. We employ a physician’s assistant and exceptional staff. Call is 1 in 4. As a faith-based practice, most of our patients anticipate we will pray with them. The practice has provided abundantly for us and has helped provide the financial means needed to pursue our calling to practice in the mission field. We would like to pass the practice on to another believer to continue God’s work in Ponca City. Physician will be staying up to one year to transition the practice to a new provider. The practice is managed by a FQHC and malpractice coverage is provided by the FTCA. Contact CEO Sharon Hall at 918-642-5100 or shall@fairfaxclinic.com.
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