Insight Matters
Winter, 2004

Candidate for President-Elect
Marion E. Sherman, M.D., F.A.P.A.

As we started this millennium, OPA leadership under Dr. Bob Ronis formulated our strategic plan, with identified priorities: advocacy for our profession and our patients, recruitment, improving communications, promoting volunteerism, educating the public, strengthening collaborations, promoting collegiality, addressing the diverse needs of membership, and advocating for the underserved. These priorities remain our vital interest. In the upcoming year, we have the opportunity to progress further down our strategic path.

Thank you for my nomination as OPA President-Elect. I will strive to continue to earn your respect through OPA service. When I moved to Ohio seven years ago, having served as President of the Utah Psychiatric Association, I did not anticipate this nomination honor. As Chair of the OPA Disaster Committee, I have had the privilege to interact with hundreds of you, as you asked, learned, taught, participated in trainings, and volunteered in disasters locally. In these difficult times, it has been a pleasure to watch as you have stepped up to this generous new leadership role in Ohio.

At OPA, we are in a time of transition. While we say goodbye to Phil Workman, we see that he has brought us far with his devoted OPA years. Now we have the opportunity to add in the talents and strengths of our new Director Janet Shaw.

The public budget is tight, service reimbursement low, malpractice a threat, allied professions confuse the public, mental health parity eludes us, HIPAA confounds us, and time moves faster every month. At the same time, we have much for which to be grateful; we interact with our patients and each other with respect in our interesting work lives. We can pick and choose from exciting professional choices, from biologic to psychodynamic, from direct service or research or administration or forensics, from psychopharmacology to patient safety. We write to educate, to express, to advocate, to legislate. We travel to learn, to teach, and to collaborate with colleagues. We gather to enjoy, to lead, to commiserate, and to problem-solve.

Here at OPA, opportunities abound to share in these areas. If you elect me to OPA leadership, I will work to maximize the enthusiasm and potential of the exceptional group of psychiatrists in OPA. I invite you to join in these activities at the level which is right for you, whether leading, participating on a committee, or learning from other members. I will focus on OPA strategic growth. I will maintain core structure for OPA. I will include good financial stewardship of limited funds. I will assure that we collaborate with professional, legislative, and advocacy partners. I will have OPA provide high quality learning opportunities. I will have us attend to the diverse needs of our members. I will have us communicate through printed and electronic web/email infrastructure. I will support local autonomy and growth in our chapters. Thank you for this opportunity.

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