Facial Plastic Surgery Winter Board Meeting Recap
January 31, 2010
Last week in South Beach, I attended the American Academy of Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery’s (AAFPRS) winter Board of Directors meeting. As Group VP of Research, Awards and Development, elected last year by the facial plastic surgery national membership, I represent the committees whose job it is to build research efforts by the AAFPRS, to distribute research awards, and to help in developmental activities, including pro bono national and international activities. Here is a recap of the activities we discussed, with a bias to those I am working on:
1. Research: On Friday we met with senior leaders of 3companies to help pave closer affilitation that can benefit the AAFPRS membership. Each year we meet with several such companies, and this year we made an effort not to invite competitors. As a result, the companies that attended (LifeCell (makers of Alloderm), Sanofi (makers of Sculptra), PNC Skin (makers of skin care lines and peels) all spoke openly of what direction they were going in and how they wanted our Academy to participate with their growth. From our part, we discussed the possible formation of an LLC that could help to organize outcomes research at arm’s length from company oversight. This is important because most companies now fund their own outcomes research, but such research can be potentially tainted by bias from the funding company. Our company would be able to commission research that would be funded by industry, but not directed by industry. This will create tremendous value for industry, the AAFPRS, and for science at large.
2. Awards: The AAFPRS continues to participate with the CORE grant process administered by Otolaryngology. Last year due to the poor economy there were insufficient funds to pay for the CORE grant recipients. Otolaryngology stepped up and funded the awards, allowing worthy recipients to fund their winning research projects. This year we hope that the improved economy will allow us to continue to fund the awards, endowed by the generosity of Dr. Leslie Bernstein.
3. Development: Face To Face, the domestic and international pro bono arm of the AAFPRS, continues to find success. The Domestic Violence Project, that helps victims of domestic violence find volunteer surgeons to care for them for free, continues to help over 100 women per year across the country. The international program continues running successful trips to Vietnam, China, Russia, and Africa. With the launching of Faces of Honor, the AAFPRS has once again founded a worthy program where injured veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan can be paired with volunteer surgeons who are willing to help them. For more information see FacesOfHonor.org. We also discussed sending AAFPRS members information about how to volunteer in Haiti. The AAFPRS will soon compile a database of surgeons willing to deploy on short notice to areas of natural disaster world-wide.
Education: Although the VP of Education oversees these programs, I have been intimately involved in developing a new educational opportunity for our members. The Domestic Observership program was approved by the Board of Directors to pair mentors with mentees for 1 to 3 month observerships. This program will launch soon, allowing any member who wishes to spend time with a senior Fellow and mentor in the AAFPRS in a post-graduate learning experience. Although completely observational, so quite unlike our hands-on Fellowships, this program will allow members an additional learning a venue. The program will be overseen by the Fellowship Committee of the AAFPRS (of which I am immediate past-chairman).
Overall, the effort that our Board displays in working for more member benefits and opportunities continues to impress me. I look forward to continuing to serve our members in the years to come.
