85.000 EDUCATION

85.936             Risk Reduction for Traumatic Urethral Catheterization Through Education and Proper Technique

MSSNY will advocate for proper training for any medical provider that performs urethral catheterization. (HOD 2024 – 268)

85.937             Expanding Limited Permits to Practice

The Medical Society of the State of New York supports legislation to create a time-limited pilot program whereby independent physician practices in underserved regions of the State could serve as an approved location for a physician with a limited permit to practice. (HOD 2024 – 71)

85.938             International Medical Graduates as a Solution to Physician Shortages

The Medical Society of the State of New York will advocate for expanded pathways to licensure for International Medical Graduates in New York State as a preferred way to expand access to care for patients instead of expansion of scope of practice by various non-physicians. (HOD 2024 – 56)

85.939             Expanding Visa Requirement Waivers for NY IMGs Working in Underserved Areas

The Medical Society of the State of New York support reauthorization and expansion of the Conrad-30 J-1 visa waiver program, including permitting reallocation of unused slots to states that have already used the maximum number of waivers; that the New York delegation to the American Medical Association advance this resolution for consideration at the next Annual AMA Meeting. (HOD 2024 – 55)

85.940             Opposition to Admissions Preference for Children of Alumni, Donors

MSSNY will advocate for the publication of data disclosing the past and annual prevalence as well as the impacts of alumni, donor, and faculty relation status in NY state medical school admissions. (HOD 2024 – 202)

85.941             IDD Coordinated Care

The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) will create a policy pertaining to the development of a comprehensive program to provide coordinated health, dental, vision, behavioral health, and social services to the IDD population.

MSSNY will adopt as its policy position that the society shall work with all relevant stakeholders including patient and family groups, non-profit entities, the Department of Health, and the OPWDD to develop this comprehensive program.

MSSNY will facilitate implementation of the program developed by the NYDOH by posting information on its website and distributing information on the program to the physicians of New York. (HOD 2023-253)

85.942             Offshore Medical Schools and Title IV Funding

The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) will urge the American Medical Association (AMA) to work with the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) and other interested stakeholders to advocate for congressional oversight of the misuse of Title IV funding by for–profit offshore medical schools (which would otherwise be ineligible for such funding), through any partnership, affiliation, or other type of arrangement with a Title IV–eligible institution.

MSSNY will also push the AMA to urge Congress to specifically prohibit the use of funds granted in a primary application for Title IV funds for any purposes related to an institution not identified in that primary application — including but not limited to tuition, transportation, or cost of attendance. (HOD 2023-112)

(See also Emergency Care, 87.000; Managed Care, 165.000; Tobacco Use and Smoking, 300.000; Vaccines, 312.000; Weight Management & Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles, 320.000)

85.943             Medical Schools Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act

MSSNY will advocate for medical schools to have and make available on their websites, information regarding reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities. MSSNY will urge medical schools to develop specific plans to recruit, enroll, support, and retain qualified students with disabilities. (HOD 2022-152)

85.944             Medical Education Debt Cancellation in the Face of a Physician Shortage During the COVID-19 Pandemic

MSSNY will seek through legislation, regulation, or executive order to obtain this one-time COVID-related $50,000 reduction in debt from accrued federal loans for all medical students, training physicians, and early career physicians.

MSSNY will forward this resolution to the AMA asking for study of the issue of medical education debt cancellation and to consider the opportunities for integration of this in a broader solution addressing debt for all medical students, physicians in training, and early career physicians.  (HOD-2021 AMA #4, referred to Council, adopted 4/15/21)

85.945             Defining What Constitutes Appropriate Use of Terms Residency and Fellowship

MSSNY will work with all relevant organizations/parties to ensure that the terms “residency” and “fellowship” are reserved for designation by programs that train physicians.  (HOD 2020-217) 

85.946             Promoting Addiction Medicine during a Time of Crisis

The Medical Society of the State of New York endorses and supports the incorporation of addiction medicine science into medical student education and residency training.  This resolution will be transmitted to the American Medical Association, Liaison Committee on Medical Education, Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation, American Osteopathic Association, and the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education.  (HOD 2019-164) 

85.947             Reducing Barriers to Mental Health Service Utilization in Medical Students

MSSNY will encourage all medical schools in the State of New York to:

-assign a mental health provider to every incoming medical student and provide an easy way for medical students to select a different provider at any time;

-require each student’s mental health provider or related staff to contact the student once per semester to ask if the student would like to meet with their mental health provider, unless the student already has an appointment to do so or has asked not to be contacted with regards to mental health appointments;

-provide an easy and confidential process for students to initiate treatment with school mental health professionals at no cost to the student, or at an affordable cost with mental health professionals in the community;

-and do so without undue bureaucratic burden.

MSSNY will immediately bring this resolution to the AMA HOD at Annual-19.  (HOD 2019-161) 

85.948             Reducing Health Disparities through Education

The Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY) will work with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), and the New York State Department of Education (NYSDOE), to raise awareness about the health benefits of education and to establish a meaningful health curriculum (including nutrition) for grades kindergarten through 12 which will be required for High School graduation.  MSSNY will forward this resolution to the American Medical Association toward the same goals and strategies nationally to reduce health disparities.  (HOD 2019-159) 

85.949             Autopsies as an Educational Tool

The Medical Society of the State of New York supports postmortem examinations, including autopsies, and that such examinations make use of all available modern technologies. MSSNY will advocate to the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY) that post mortem examinations, including autopsies be incorporated into the curriculum of medical schools. (HOD 2019-152) 

85.950             Mental Health Services for Medical Students

MSSNY will encourage Medical Schools in New York State to provide confidential in-house mental health services at no cost to students, without billing health insurance, and to set up programs to educate both students and staff about burnout, depression, and suicide.  MSSNY will also encourage Medical Schools in New York State to offer affordable, confidential off-site counseling.

MSSNY will bring this resolution to the AMA so that the AMA can recommend that the AAMC strengthen their recommendations to all the medical schools to mandate these services for our medical students.  (HOD 2019-104)

85.951             Promoting 4-Year, Vertical Ultrasound Curricula in Undergraduate Medical Education

The Medical Society of the State of New York, the American Medical Association, and the American Osteopathic Association will communicate with US medical schools that the inclusion of clinician-performed, point of care ultrasound instruction and training; including didactic and practical experiences covering the application to a broad range of organ systems and procedures for a wide variety of future specialists should be studied.  The resolution should be sent to the AMA for consideration.  (HOD 2017-156; amended and adopted by Council, March 2018).

85.952             Providing Income tax Credit to Healthcare Professionals for Clinical Preceptorships

The Medical Society supports the creation of a state-wide clinical preceptorship tax credit for community and hospital based health care practitioners and that any necessary documentation for the tax credit be contained in a simple form to encourage participation in the program.  The resolution was additionally sent to AMA.  (HOD 2017-112; amended and adopted by Council, March 2018)

85.953             Expanding GME Concurrently With UME

MSSNY will support the expansion of residency slots with a view to the current and future needs of the United States population, and bring a resolution to this effect to the 2016 Annual Meeting of the American Medical Association.  (HOD 2016-208)

85.954            Educating Physicians and Students on the Identification and Care of Human Trafficking Victims

MSSNY will publicize the availability of existing screening tools to assist in the identification of victims of human trafficking, and make them available through linkage on the Society’s website.  MSSNY will also work with all appropriate specialty societies to increase human trafficking awareness among medical students and physicians. (HOD 2015-205)

85.955             MSSNY to Endorse the “Choosing Wisely” Program

The Medical Society of the State of New York endorses the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Choosing Wisely program and the New York delegation to the American Medical Association will encourage the AMA to consider endorsing the ABIM’s Choosing Wisely program.  (HOD 2014-205)

85.956:           Life-Sustaining Treatment in the Developmentally Disabled with Severe Dementia: SUNSET HOD 2023

85.957:            Protecting Biomedical Research

MSSNY supports legislation to further protect all participants in bio-medical research from violence, harassment, and cyberstalking from protesters (HOD 2013-70; Reaffirmed HOD 2023)

85.958             First Do No Harm-Initiative to Improve Mistreatment Transparency of Medical Students, Residents And Fellows:  SUNSET HOD 2022

85.959             Increasing Funding for Graduate Medical Education: 

MSSNY will:

1. encourage both public and private payers to contribute to Graduate Medical Education (GME) funding through for example, expansion of government grant opportunities similar to the Primary Care Residency Expansion Program;
2. encourage adjusting GME funding to account for the need of an expanded workforce;
3. advocate for transparency in the funding of residency programs and for how those programs in turn use allotted funding;
4. urge the American Medical Association to work toward the removal of caps on the number of Medicare funded residency programs and physicians therein. (HOD 2011-166; Reaffirmed HOD 2021)

85.960             Securing Quality Clinical Education Sites for US-Accredited Schools:  

MSSNY will support preference being given to students from LCME/COCA accredited medical schools over international and dual campus students for clinical clerkship rotations in hospital or affiliated clinics.  (HOD 2011-165; Reaffirmed HOD 2021)

85.961             AMA Encouragement of State Medical Societies to Form Committees to Eliminate Health Care Disparities: 

MSSNY strongly encourages all state medical societies to form a Committee to Eliminate Health Disparities and that those committees share ideas and work together as a coalition with the AMA’s Center for Health Equity.  (HOD 2011-163; Amended and Reaffirmed HOD 2021)

85.962             Specialty Exams: 

MSSNY will request of the American Medical Association that:

(1) it recommend to the American Board of Specialties that a physician in private practice be required to take only one proctored board exam within that physician’s specialty every ten years, and that within the maintenance of certification at the same exam other optional sections should be devoted to the added qualifications; and

(2) it request that its component specialty societies restrain from dividing every aspect of their specialist physician practice into numerous added qualification exams and that, whenever possible, alternate methods be sought to ensure adequate qualifications and make the process less onerous for physicians in private practice.  (HOD 2011-115; Reaffirmed in lieu of HOD 2017-205)

85.963             Promotion of Financial Aid Opportunities for New York Medical Students:

MSSNY will:  (a) advocate for the expansion of the Doctors Across New York Physician Loan Repayment Program by increasing the number of available positions, and directing any unused funds in the Loan Repayment Program toward the Practice Support Program; (b) support the development of State funded loan forgiveness and repayment programs for physicians; and (3) advocate for the development of scholarships and/or grants for medical students who plan to work in the state.  (HOD 2011-108; Reaffirmed HOD 2019 in lieu of res 103 and 201)

85.964             Non-Alcohol Fatty Liver Disease:

MSSNY will educate the public and physicians about Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), its link to Metabolic Syndrome, the possible dire consequences which may lead to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, and that this disease is preventable by lifestyle changes, including proper diet, diabetes prevention and control and weight loss.  (HOD 2010-156; Amended and reaffirmed HOD 2020)

85.965             Use of Prefilled Insulin Syringes:  (SUNSET HOD 2020) 

85.966             Use of Waiting Room Educational DVDs:  SUNSET HOD 2020

85.967             The Importance of the Theory of Evolution in Science Education:

MSSNY endorses the teaching of the theory of evolution as an integral part of science curriculum throughout the continuum of the educational experience.  (HOD 2009-165; Reaffirmed with amendment HOD 2019)

85.968             Reform the Methodology for Calculating Direct Graduate Medical Education Payments:

MSSNY will urge that (1) the current methodology for calculating direct Graduate Medical Education (GME) payments be updated to reflect the actual costs that a hospital incurs for training residents, rather than a hospital-specific per resident amount determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Service (CMS) for all teaching hospitals; (2) caps on Medicare’s support for GME residency positions be eliminated which would enable teaching hospitals to cover their costs and subsequently train more physicians.  (HOD 2009-153; Reaffirmed with amendment HOD 2019)

85.969             Increasing Matriculation of Medical Students: (HOD 2008-102; SUNSET HOD 2018)

85.970             Physician Education to Address Malpractice Insurance Crisis:

All physicians in the State of New York will be urged to participate in a series of malpractice educational seminars in their respective communities.  The urgency for such an educational program, to highlight the malpractice crisis and the prospective loss of available medical care, will be communicated to the general public via the media with citizens being directed to demand action by their State legislators for medical liability tort reform.  (HOD 2008-99; Reaffirmed HOD 2018)

85.971             Health Promotion Visits:  (Sunset HOD 2017)

85.972             Broad-based Education Campaign for New Yorkers on the Medical Liability Crisis:  (Sunset HOD 2017)

85.973          Medical School and Graduate Medical Education:

That MSSNY work with the Associated Medical Schools of New York, to develop a program that would encompass: 1) Recruitment of interested community-based physicians to serve as preceptors/mentors for undergraduate medical students assigned to ambulatory clinical learning experiences; 2) Training for the role of preceptor/mentor for such volunteers, with appropriate CME credits for the training; 3) Appointment to the clinical faculty rolls of a medical school for such volunteers, who satisfy agreed-upon standards of performance as preceptors/mentors; 4) Assignment of medical students to the practice offices of such volunteer physicians for purposes of ambulatory clinical learning experiences, with appropriate access to the patients of the practice for educational purposes; and 5) Evaluation at intervals of the experiences of the students and the community-based physicians to determine the effectiveness of the program.  (Council 6/22/06; Reaffirmed HOD 2016)

85.974           Need to Expose and Counter Nurse Doctoral Programs (NDP) Misrepresentation:

 Institutions offering advanced education in the healing arts and professions shall fully and accurately inform applicants and students of the educational programs and degrees offered by an institution and the limitations, if any, on the scope of practice under applicable state law for which the program prepares the student; that MSSNY work jointly with the State Education Department to identify and prosecute those individuals who misrepresent themselves as physicians to their patients and mislead program applicants as to their future scope of practice; and that MSSNY encourage hospital staff organizations, to counter misrepresentation by Nurse Doctoral Programs and their students and graduates, particularly in clinical settings.  (HOD 2006-91; Reaffirmed HOD 2016)

85.975             Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS): 

That the Medical Society of the State of New York supports beginning the process, by the Federation Credentials Verification Service (FCVS), of compiling documents needed for medical licensure of International Medical Graduates, after 2 ½ years of medical residency, upon receiving certification by the Residency Program Director that the IMG will be competent to be licensed, pending satisfactory completion of the final 6 months of training; and that one month before the end of the Residency Program, FCVS send all necessary documentation for licensure of an International Medical Graduate to the New York State Education Department in order that the license be ready immediately upon the completion of the 3 year Residency Program. (Council 1/26/06; Reaffirmed HOD 2016)

85.976             Task Force to Eliminate Ethnic and Racial Health Care  Disparities Recommendations: SUNSET HOD 2015

85.977             Oppose Tuition Increase for Medical Students:

MSSNY develop policy and take action to oppose any proposed legislation that would require students and graduates of the State University of New York (SUNY) medical schools to agree to practice in a particular locale as a condition of matriculating or paying New York State resident tuition.  (HOD 2005-68; Reaffirmed HOD 2015)

85.978             Preventing Excessive and Retroactive Tuition Increases:

That MSSNY and the Medical Student Section officially oppose implementation of retroactive tuition increases, that MSSNY encourage all medical schools in New York State to implement a “truth-in-tuition” policy, that would freeze the tuition charged for the four years, at the same amount a student was charged at the time of enrollment into medical school (with adjustments made for increases in the Consumer Price Index) to allow students to do financial and career choice planning, and that the MSSNY encourage all medical schools in New York State to implement a “timely disclosure” policy that discloses the tuition for the schools, prior to May 15, so that students can have this information before choosing which medical school to attend.  (Council 11/4/04; Reaffirmed HOD 2005-68; Reaffirmed HOD 2015)

85.979             Academic Medical Centers Resident/Fellow Recruitment:  SUNSET HOD 2014

85.980            Nutrition, Physical Activity and Weight Management Curriculum in Medical Schools: 

MSSNY encourages all New York State medical schools to develop a nutrition, physical activity and weight management curriculum at both the basic science level and the clinical level;  (2) that MSSNY also encourage New York State medical schools to integrate nutrition and physical activity education into their residency programs and encourage the development of bariatric medicine fellowship programs.  (HOD 2004-161; Modified and reaffirmed HOD 2014; Reaffirmed HOD 2024)

85.981             State Mandated Training Programs: SUNSET HOD 2013

85.982             Resident Work Hours: SUNSET HOD 2013

85.983             Registration of MSSNY CME Credits:

MSSNY will enter continuing medical education (CME) information into the MSSNY database for its members who have taken a MSSNY CME course thereby allowing the physician to have his/her CME information available. (HOD 2002-167; Modified and Reaffirmed HOD 2013; reaffirmed HOD 2023)

85.984             Impact of Changes to Section 405 of Title 10 of the New York Code of Rules and Regulations: Sunset HOD 2011

85.985             Full Reimbursement for Training Costs of PGY V and VI of Child Psychiatry Training:

It is MSSNY’s policy that there should be full reimbursement for training costs of PGY V and VI years of child psychiatric training.  (HOD 2001-74; Reaffirmed HOD 2011; Reaffirmed HOD 2021)

85.986             Funding for Graduate Medical Education: Rescinded HOD 2011-166; Replaced by 85.959

85.987             Adjusting Medical School Curricula: SUNSET HOD 2014

85.988             Placement of Resident Physicians From Disbanded Residency raining Programs:

MSSNY reaffirms its support for AMA Policy H-310.943 on closing residency programs to strongly encourage residency programs to offer placement of their resident physicians in comparable positions before disbanding a training program.  (Council 3/19/98; Reaffirmed HOD 2014)

85.989             Advocacy Policy to Increase Number of Minority Physicians:

MSSNY recognizes the threat to minority physician training incident to downsizing of training programs in the state; and will work with other organizations, including physician organizations and government toward maintaining and increasing relative numbers of minority physicians.  (HOD 1998-160; Modified and reaffirmed HOD 2014)

85.990             The HCFA Demonstration Project’s Potential for Abuse:  SUNSET HOD 2014

85.991             Preservation of Opportunities for US Graduates and IMGs Already Legally Present in This Country:

In the event of reductions in the resident workforce in the State of New York, the Medical Society of the State of New York will advocate for a mechanism of resident selection which promotes the maintenance of resident physician training opportunities for all qualified graduates of United States Liaison Committee on Medical Education and American Osteopathic Association accredited institutions.

MSSNY adopts and will publicize the position that if hospitals reduce the number of residency positions they offer, MSSNY will continue to advocate for equal consideration in the candidate selection process of IMGs who are already legally present in this country.

MSSNY will ask the AMA to urge the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) to reduce the number of examinations it offers abroad, in the light of decreased availability of residency position; and make it clear to graduates of international medical schools that the opportunity for residency training and practice in the United States are becoming extremely limited.

This information should be included in the initial application materials given to the candidates prior to the examination.  (HOD 1997-228; Reaffirmed Council 3/19/98; Reaffirmed HOD 2014 with recommendation for development of more relevant policy)

85.992             Residents’ Ability to Write Restraint Orders: SUNSET HOD 2014

85.993             Opposition to Medical Resident Education Fee:

MSSNY will continue to strongly oppose any legislation that includes an annual fee for medical residents.  The Division of Governmental Affairs of MSSNY will continue to strongly oppose any New York State budget that includes an annual fee for medical residents; and will report to the MSSNY-RPS any further action attempted by the State of New York regarding this issue as soon as possible.  (HOD 1997-86; Reaffirmed HOD 2014; Reaffirmed HOD 2024)

85.994             Hepatitis Vaccinations for all Medical Students:

MSSNY supports efforts to require all medical students to be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B unless they have already been vaccinated; and will also require everyone entering a US residency training program to be vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B if they have not yet received vaccination.  (Council 3/27/97; Modified and reaffirmed HOD 2014; Reaffirmed HOD 2024)

85.995             Infection Control Course, Mandated: SUNSET HOD 2024

85.996             Funding for Medical Schools and Teaching Hospitals: SUNSET HOD 2014

85.997             Animals in Biomedical Research:

MSSNY supports the humane use of animals in biomedical research and advocates support of regulatory policies to protect animals from unnecessary uses in biomedical research.  (HOD 91-49; Modified and reaffirmed HOD 2014; Reaffirmed HOD 2024)

85.998             Graduate Medical Education:  SUNSET HOD 2014

85.999             Manpower Assistance for Medical Students: 

MSSNY supports the concept of continuing some form of federal manpower financial assistance and support, including general institutional grants, special project grants for medical schools and the continuation of the National Health Service Corps and other support mechanisms such as long term, low interest loans for medical students.  (Council 6/26/80; Reaffirmed HOD 2013; Reaffirmed HOD 2019 in lieu of res 103 and 201)