Vol XIV, May `05

JEPSEN: I was surprised and pleased to see that AMDA and its members are a close-knit community. Many participants and speakers talked about returning year after year and looking forward to seeing each other again.

As a Fellow in Geriatric Medicine, I was impressed to see that the focus is clearly on geriatrics and practicing good geriatric medicine. I also was surprised and pleased to see the association’s push regarding research. This is something that interests me, and I actually have been trying to develop a research proposal to address oral health from the viewpoint of the physician and not the dentist.

I had no idea previously that the association is so committed to mentoring new medical directors or that there are so many resources available for folks like me.

FOUNDATION:How might your participation in the Futures Program ultimately influence your career path?

JEPSEN: It made me eager to pursue a job as a long term care facility medical director. It also started me thinking about how I can frame resident care in a way that is different from acute care, outpatient care, or even rehab care (although this may be part of the facility).

FOUNDATION: What aspect of the Futures Program did you find most useful?

JEPSEN: The entire program was useful. It opened my eyes to the range of responsibilities I can expect as a medical director. I realized that the medical director must be an innovative and forward-thinking leader, not just a caretaker. I ordered the CD of the full AMDA program because there were so many sessions I was interested in attending. I think this will be a useful resource for me as I gain responsibilities within a long term care facility. I am excited about my future as part of this profession.

Click here to learn about the Futures Program.