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Members Member Resources AAAAI News AAAAI eNews AAAAI Job Placement Center Promoting your Practice Order Public Education Materials Disease Management/ Ask the Expert Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Education and Research Trust (ART) Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology 2007 Accomplishments Annual Meeting Executive Staff Contacts Online Membership Directory AAAAI Organizational Structure » Members Contact AAAAI: Professional Home for the Practicing Allergist Grants and Awards Hot Topics Joint Council of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (JCAAI) ST*AR Program AAAAI Assembly overview Allied Health Federation of the RSLAAI Societies International Military Allergy New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Organizational Chart Board of Directors Interest Sections Committees Fellows-in-Training Allied Health Professional Assembly Federation of RSLAAIS International Assembly Military Allergy Assembly New Allergist/Immunologist Assembly Program Directors Associates		Academy News: August 2005 Focus on you: Texas Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society By Hugh H. Windom, MD, FAAAAI, 2005-2006 Chair In a new twist to this column, which usually reports on the activities of the Regional State and Local Board of Governors, I am starting a series where I will focus on you, the members of our state allergy societies. This first report will introduce you to what is probably our foremost society, the Texas Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Society (TAAIS). By sheer numbers, the TAAIS is the largest state society, with 218 members led by a nine member board of directors, that meet quarterly by teleconference to organize their many activities. The president serves a two-year term after ascending through the ranks of secretary-treasurer and president elect. The other physicians rounding out the board of directors are elected with the goal of achieving a fair geographic representation of this very large state. TAAIS historical background I was surprised to learn that they are a fairly young organization, only in formal existence since 1984. Agile H. Redmon, Jr., MD, FAAAAI, was elected as their first president, and he remains active today as he assists with the planning of the Southwest Allergy Forum. Before there was an official TAAIS, Texas allergist/immunologists would gather at the annual Texas Medical Association meeting and offer a 2-3 hour educational program for primary care physicians. This program has continued with the addition of a full-day program the following day, entitled Allergy for Allergists. “We have patterned this one-day symposium in the likeness of the Aspen conference, providing depth and discussion into topics not usually available at the AAAAI meeting,” said David R. Weldon, MD, FAAAAI, TAAIS President. TAAIS major activities Like many of our state societies, the TAAIS is invested heavily in education. In addition to their Allergy for Allergists program, they were the first state society to offer a Primary Care Residents Conference. This annual event was spearheaded by William T. Shearer, MD, PhD, FAAAAI. The goal was to introduce the discipline of allergy/immunology to second- and third-year residents of primary care training programs around the state, many of whom have very little to no exposure to our specialty in their residency. Outcome data from these conferences show 30% of attendees go onto apply for an A/I fellowship. A step-by-step guide to putting on this program was graciously shared with other state societies and successfully duplicated. Through the generosity of a pharmaceutical company grant, approximately six programs a year entitled, Current Management of Allergy, are directed at primary care physicians. These Saturday morning CME programs are spread out across the state to further the understanding of allergic diseases and the value of an A/I consultation. On the regional level, the TAAIS is actively involved in the planning of the three-day combined Southwest Allergy Forum and Eastern Allergy Society winter meeting. On a separate front, the TAAIS has taken to the halls of the state legislature to support patient rights issues. Most recently, William A. Fawcett, IV, MD, in collaboration with the Texas Chapter of the American Lung Association (ALA), led a victorious lobbying effort to allow students with asthma to carry their inhalers at school. Members of the TAAIS joined forces with the ALA state chapter in 2000 to form the Asthma Coalition, an active lay organization addressing a wide array of concerns related to asthma. Allergy/immunology training programs The TAAIS has always found it important to embrace young allergist/immunologists in training. The fellows-in-training around the state are invited to be members of the TAAIS without charge and can attend its annual meeting for free. To ensure that training programs have a voice in the society’s leadership, “the bylaws mandate that one of the board of directors be a faculty member of an A/I training program” said Donald C. Fournier, MD, FAAAAI, Governor Region 5. First state ERT honor fund Under the leadership of David A. Khan, MD, FAAAAI, Gailen D. Marshall, Jr., MD, PhD, FAAAAI, and Shearer, members of the TAAIS were asked to contribute to the AAAAI Education and Research Trust to support a state honor fund. Enough individuals met the challenge, easily surpassing the required pledge amount of $100,000, and they now have over $210,000 in pledges. Key to success The TAAIS keys to success appear to be strong physician leadership, ongoing involvement of senior physicians and a dedicated administrative support staff. The society has relied heavily upon J. Andrew Grant, MD, FAAAAI, to solicit funding for ongoing or novel projects. Shearer, while no longer on the board of directors, remains a readily accessible advisor on national issues affecting the society. These sort of experienced individuals provide an invaluable service. In the same sense, experienced administrative services have gone a long way in keeping the TAAIS running on all cylinders. Connie Mawer, TAAIS executive director, has been under contract for the past decade, and from all accounts, has played a large part in the overall success of the society. Like any successful medical organization, they have proven that no matter how wonderful the idea or strategic plan, if there isn’t someone back at the home office to do the heavy lifting when the physicians go back to work and forget about society affairs, then very few of those lofty dreams would become reality. For the TAAIS, many an idea has been taken to fruition, not only for the benefit of Texans, but for other societies who have followed their lead.   <back>
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