By Varun Choudhary, MD, MA, DFAPA
APA Assembly Representative
Corporate Medical Director
WellCare Health Plans
Assistant Clinical Professor
VCU Health Systems
The 2022 Medical Society of Virginia annual meeting was celebrated at the Homestead Resort October 28-30, 2022. It was an important event since it was the first annual meeting held in person in 3 years, but also a delayed celebration of the 200th anniversary of the MSV.
The festivities started Friday night with a happy hour reception honoring the 2020 and 2021 Salute to Service award winners. Our own Dr. William Harp received the Service to the Profession award for his contributions to medicine in Virginia, having served as Executive Director of the Board of Medicine for decades. Dr. Harry Gewanter, a Richmond based Pediatrician, was welcomed as the new president of the MSV.
Medical students and residents were well represented at the conference and educational sessions were held Saturday morning. The first, Innovation in Healthcare, was a capstone project by graduates of the 2021 Physician Leadership Institute. The second was a presentation addressing physician burnout highlighting the Safe Haven program. It was hosted by Corey Feist JD, MBA the president and co-founder of the Dr. Lorna Breen Heroes’ Foundation and brother-in-law of the late Dr. Breen.
Mental health was an area of emphasis during the meeting given the impacts of the pandemic. A resolution was passed to support regulation or legislation to remove or reword questions that identify mental health issues on licensing and credentialing documents. This was identified as a barrier for physicians who were dealing with mental health issues from seeking treatment. This was also an impetus to create the Safe Haven program and the subsequent Dr. Lorna Breen Act that was passed into law by Governor Northam.
The celebration continued Saturday night when the MSV Foundation held the annual Physicians Gala with a Masquerade Charade theme. A “Bridgerton” style ball was the inspiration and it included dance lessons from the Regency period by Amanda Burns, a dance instructor from Clifton Forge. A champagne toast was held to celebrate the belated 200th anniversary of the MSV and to thank all the sponsors of the Annual Meeting. The 2022 MSV Foundation Salute to Service award winners were announced and celebrated with video presentations from the recipients.
The 2023 annual meeting will have a change in venue and will be held in Norfolk at the Hilton. Given the success of this meeting, the next annual meeting has the potential to be one of the best yet.
