Day two of PM 2023 continued to advance the dialogue on prevention and public health and provided many opportunities for members to connect, engage and share lessons learned and best practices. It is always a joy to see members come together to create dynamic dialogue and conversations that make this annual conference experience so meaningful.
We were honored to have top leaders and experts speak on several of the country’s most pressing health issues—there were two plenary sessions on military environmental exposures and reproductive health and justice—and a third session on the opioid epidemic.
During the first plenary of the day, Dr. Jamila Perritt, President and CEO of Physicians for Reproductive Health, a physician advocate for systemic inequities affecting access and health outcomes, and Dr. Bhavik Kumar, MD, MPH from Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast discussed reproductive justice in the context of the current political climate and discussed potential strategies to address the crisis.
The second plenary, Dr. Michael Brumage, Deputy Chief Consultant Veterans Health Administration and Dr. Andrew Wiesen, Editor, Medical Surveillance Monthly Report, Armed Forces Health Surveillance Division, Defense Health Agency discussed the VA’s work with surveillance programs and epidemiological research to help inform policy and recommendations to address the occupational or environmental hazards that affect military personnel. It is crucial for all physicians to understand and address environmental exposures that can have a detrimental impact on overall health outcomes.
We also heard from the national leader for drug policy, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Director of National Drug Control Policy, Executive Office of the President, on the latest insights on addiction and the opioid crisis in the United States. As the first physician to take on this role as senior drug policy advisor to the President, Dr. Gupta emphasized the importance of working with government officials at local and national levels to disrupt the impact of addiction and overdoses in our nation.
Impactful conversations and learning continued with various concurrent sessions including one on the Primary Care Training and Enhancement program. The session, led by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)/Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), provided insights on the new integrated training model for the specialty of Public Health & General Preventive Medicine (PH&GPM) that allows for effective integration of preventive medicine principles into maternal and population health.
Lastly, the energy from the launch of our new campaign - This Is Preventive Medicine continued to empower members and give them a platform to leverage their passion for preventive medicine and promote the profession. We look forward to continuing these thoughtful discussions and educational sessions throughout the week.
To learn more visit ACPM online, here, and follow the conversation on social media using #PM2023.