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PRESIDENT'S CORNER
OAKLAND COUNTY MEDICAL SOCIETY: FOCUS ON SOCIETY Jason Schairer, MD, OCMS President
The past two years have been a defining time for the field of medicine. They have shown that unforeseen challenges arise that threaten our safety and very way of life. Despite this, people at every level of medicine have risen to face each challenge, assuming new roles and leaving their comfort zones to do what must be done for their community. We are all better for their courage and sacrifice.
Now, it is my turn to assume the role of President of the Oakland County Medical Society. Over the next year, my focus will be on that last word: society. We will continue to come together as professionals from different backgrounds, different health systems and with different priorities. Your Board of Directors and I will continue to find common ground to advocate for physician needs both locally in Oakland County and across the state as part of the Michigan State Medical Society.
Together, we continue to gain ground against the COVID-19 pandemic. In Oakland County, we are over 60% vaccinated, with 75% of eligible adults being fully vaccinated. Many of the unvaccinated have already been exposed to the virus, and that pushes the com- munity immunity status even higher. The next frontier will be people under the age of five, and our patients will again look to us to help them make the right choices for their family.
OCMS will continue to protect the doctor-patient relationship from slow encroachment of other fields. This is a complex issue and there is not going to be a single solution that works as well in Oakland County as in some of the outlying areas of the state. We will have to work hard to find common ground solutions that provide access to patients, while ensuring quality care from physicians.
Like many organizations at the end of the pandemic, there are opportunities in the OCMS to become active, including leadership. If you or someone you know is looking for a way to make their voice heard, and to advocate for physicians and patients in a wider area, then perhaps you will find that OCMS can help amplify that voice. We thrive on passionate members showing us new directions. We encourage you to reach out if you have issues that we can help with.
I look forward to the coming year as a chance to advocate for physicians and patients. We at OCMS welcome the chance to hear your voices and work on your behalf. Let’s continue to do great things for our community and society.
If you would like OCMS to connect with your
residents or fellows, please contact Romy Shubitowski at rshubitowski @ocms-mi.org.
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DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 | WWW.OCMS-MI.ORG