date:05/15 Year:2025
Letter from the President: A Time to Lead in Preventive Medicine and Public Health
This is a transcript of ACPM President Dr. Ryung Suh’s comments during the ACPM annual meeting on May 8, 2025.
This is not an easy time to lead in public health or preventive medicine.
We are living through a time of great political upheaval and global disruption. The rise of populist and anti-science rhetoric in some countries, the emergence of infectious threats once thought nearly eradicated, increasing political polarization, social media fueled misinformation and the growing erosion of public trust — these are not just geopolitical headlines. They are forces that are shaping the health and well-being of entire populations and point to critical challenges that are impacting our profession. This is compounded by the rising tide of chronic diseases and their economic burdens, the underinvestment in public health infrastructure and the training pipeline, and the ever-present threat of high consequence infections. These, too, have geopolitical implications. The enduring truth is that public health is inherently political, and ACPM must remain engaged in the political and global dialogue. Some might say that this is a crucible moment in our history, born out of crisis, with an opportunity to rebuild our future for the better. But, it is also a period rife with risk and one that must be navigated with experience and expertise, prudence and wisdom, boldness and courage.
date:05/05 Year:2025
American College of Preventive Medicine Launches Preventive Medicine 2025 in Seattle
(SEATTLE, WA) The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) announces the kickoff of its annual conference, Preventive Medicine 2025, on Monday, May 5 in Seattle, WA. This year’s theme, “Moving the Needle for Preventive Medicine and Public Health,” emphasizes the importance of research, policy and collaboration to enhance prevention and well-being for all.date:05/01 Year:2025
Letter from the President: With Gratitude for Being a Fortunate Man
As I write my final President’s Newsletter, I am overcome with a deep sense of gratitude to the members and staff of the American College of Preventive Medicine for affording me the opportunity to have served as your President for these past two years. Recognizing that it is also May 1st or “May Day”, a global holiday marking the struggles and accomplishments of the working class, and knowing that we have had more than 100,000 federal employees losing their jobs, including many of our colleagues at the CDC, FDA, NIH and the VA, it is a challenging time indeed for many across the country.
Despite this, many of us will soon be in Seattle, looking to "Move the Needle" at our annual conference. Preventive Medicine 2025 is designed to bring together leaders across healthcare and public health to collaborate, learn and work to change our health care system through prevention and well-being for all.
date:05/01 Year:2025
American College of Preventive Medicine Calls for Resumption of Funding for Preventive Medicine Residency Programs
The American College of Preventive Medicine (ACPM) encourages funding for the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Preventive Medicine Residency (PMR) Program flow to grant awardees as appropriated for Fiscal Year 2025.
date:04/17 Year:2025
Join the Celebration and Put Your Voice into Action
April showers bring spring flowers … but April also brings national recognition for the incredible individuals who volunteer their time, talents and energy for so many valiant causes! April is National Volunteer Month, and ACPM wants to celebrate the many volunteers who power the College!
From driving strategy to overseeing governance to managing finances to implementing member programs to planning an annual conference, ACPM volunteers are the backbone of the organization. These individuals are changemakers and generously share their time and passion to not only strengthen the ACPM community but also to drive the College’s mission forward. Simply … THANK YOU! Thank you for your commitment. Thank you for your leadership. Thank you for making a difference in your specialty.
In the words of Helen Dyer, biochemist and cancer researcher, “Volunteerism is the voice of the people put into action. These actions shape and mold the present into a future of which we can all be proud.” Want to shape the future of ACPM?
date:03/20 Year:2025
Letter from the President: Tranquility in the Midst of Chaos
Almost two years ago, on March 23, 2023, I took over the reins of the Presidency of ACPM from the outgoing President, Dr. Tonette Krousel-Wood. This transition was in her hometown of New Orleans, and I did not realize at the time, that I would be getting some lagniappe – a little something extra, as my term ends on May 8, 2025, a bit more than the anticipated two-year period!
Even as I am on borrowed time, this is my penultimate letter as ACPM’s President, and I want to address several changes at the HHS that have caused chaos across the medical community, both nationally and internationally.
date:03/06 Year:2025
Meet the Family at Your Professional Home
For many years and early in my career, I was a speech writer for the executive leaders at my organization. One of the tips I learned for framing the message is to find a quote and build around the meaning. As witnessed in some of my previous articles, I carry over that tip when sharing my message in ACPM News. If someone captured my thoughts so eloquently, why not borrow? This time, I struggled.
Not because I couldn’t find the right quote. It was just the opposite … I couldn’t narrow it down!
“The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team” – Phil Jackson
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much” – Helen Keller
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” – Henry Ford
“Unity is strength … when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” – Mattie Stepanek
And, the list can go on! What was the inspiration for my quest to find the perfect quote? The ACPM staff! Each day, I am amazed at how so few can accomplish so much. So, I thought it was time to shine a spotlight behind the scenes and give you a look at the dedicated, talented staff who work to support your professional home, ensure ACPM can advance its mission, and make all we do seem so effortless.
date:03/05 Year:2025
5 Things We Need To Do To Improve The US Healthcare System - Dr. Hunter Jackson Smith
ACPM Fellow Hunter Jackson Smith speaks with Authority Magazine on ways to improve the U.S. Healthcare System.date:02/20 Year:2025
Letter from the President: Can We Really MAHA By Cutting the US Public Health Workforce?
On February 18, 2025, the new HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., talked about working with “radical transparency.” Yet, he failed to address the more than 5,000 job cuts in his new department, ostensibly performed by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which is not an actual department in the government, but an advisory body with almost unlimited power, along with unknown oversight and legal status. So, Kennedy’s assertion that “Both science and democracy flourish from the free and unimpeded flow of information,” rings hollow!
A few days earlier, President Trump established the President’s Make America Healthy Again Commission. But in the first four weeks since he assumed office, in addition to withdrawing from the World Health Organization and freezing funding for a multitude of public health programs, more than 200,000 federal workers have been fired, while another 75,000 of them have accepted buyouts. The majority of those fired were probationary employees, mostly recent hires, or in some cases, long-serving government employees who had recently changed roles.