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Dear CA Colleagues,

What an exciting year it has been so far!  Our 2012 CDIM Fall Meeting in Phoenix, AZ went very well, we had a new expanded version of the CDIM Administrators precourse that offered workshops for both the new and experienced Administrator/Coordinator.  This was very successful and we plan to continue that expanded version next year in New Orleans.  Academic Internal Medicine Week 2012 may be over but we are continuing our work to bring you new innovative ideas, professional development and the nuts and bolts for the new administrator/coordinator. 

As my role as the Chair of the Clerkship Administrators Advisory Council continues myself and the CDIM Administrators Advisory Council are working hard to provide you with excellence in our profession and to help you reach your full potential as a CDIM Administrator/Coordinator.  Our roles are changing and evolving almost as rapidly as medical education.  More responsibilities are being placed on each one of us and we wonder how we will ever do it all, so I believe the importance of having a place to turn to for guidance grows stronger every day.  My hope is that this organization can be the place that you turn to for ideas, professional development, personal growth and just to know that someone else knows exactly what you are going through. 

Personally, this organization has offered many opportunities in which I could grow professionally, experience serving on committees and task forces to develop new ideas and encouraged me to expand the possibilities beyond what I ever dreamed I could do.  My goal is that each member can experience each of these and so much more. 

There are plans to reach more people so that we can network and share ideas throughout the year rather than one time a year at the national meeting.  I with the help of others would like to build upon the newly implemented “CAMP” Clerkship Administrators Mentor Program to continue to see it flourish.  I would also like to provide to the membership more open communication about the activities that are taking place within our organization so that everyone is aware of the different projects that are being developed and what sources are available to you.

I recently read a book by Andy Andrews entitled the “The Travelers Gift” in which the character has a discussion with Anne Frank about the differences in people.  After reading that passage I derived that we are all alike on the outside, we may have a few subtle differences, but it is what is on the inside that truly makes us different.  So it is my hope that each member is enriched by their experience through the Clerkship Administrators of Internal Medicine to make us different on the inside, to grow beyond what we ever dreamed we could.


Ginger Wilson
University of Oklahoma, School of Community Medicine, Tulsa, OK
2012-2013 Chair of  CDIM Clerkship Administrators Advisory Council

Precourse for Clerkship Administrators:
This precourse is designed to facilitate the exchange of ideas and share unique solutions to administrative responsibilities. Presentations will address leadership, career development, communication, and presentation skills. Ample time will be allowed for networking. This precourse is designed for staff who administer the internal medicine clerkship or who interact regularly with students and residents in an educational context; administrators at all experience levels are welcome.

CDIM National Meeting:
Each CDIM national meeting features workshops for clerkship administrators.  These small group sessions discuss key issues for administrators, allowing for open discussion and networking. 

CDIM Administrators Dinner:
Held annually in the evening following the CDIM Clerkship Administrators precourse during Academic Internal Medicine Week the CA Membership Committee plans this event and finds a location for all of us to join together for dinner and time for connecting.  It is dutch treat.

Certification for Clerkship Administrators:
The CA Professional Development Committee works with the Administrators/Coordinators Certification in Undergraduate Medical Education (ACUME) offering a certification for all disciplines in undergraduate medical education that is now available.  Additional information is available at www.acumecertification.com.

Community Giving Initiative:
Students Overcome with Adequate Resources (SOAR).  Have you ever wanted a chance to pay forward the opportunities you have been blessed with?  That time has come; the CDIM Clerkship Administrators/Coordinators has developed a new project called SOAR.  The idea behind the project is to pay forward to an underserved school in the host city of our national meeting with by collecting and donating needed school supplies.  We are in the business of education; what better way to pay forward than to help out a school in need?  We may very well be providing a student with support to fulfill their dream of becoming a doctor.   CDIM Council and APDIM Council and Administrators will be helping us to build upon this program in the coming year.

Clerkship Administrators Mentoring Program:
The CDIM Membership Committee and Clerkship Administrator Advisory Council announced the launch of the Clerkship Administrators Mentor Program, or CAMP, to our members. The vision of this program is to create and nurture networking and professional relationships amongst our members. Individuals who wish to participate in this program are asked to submit an application form to facilitate the pairing process. If you wish to work with someone in particular, please contact me at brisimo@bu.edu; we are happy to set that up for you.

The Guidebook for Undergraduate Medical Education
The CDIM Clerkship Administrators are proud to announce development of a new resource, The Guidebook for Undergraduate Medical Education Administration.  Building on the success of our previous publication, A Guidebook for Clerkship Administration, GUMEA seeks to support continued growth and understanding for successful administration of educational programs across all four years of medical school. Professionals from all areas of medical education are encouraged to participate, helping us create a resource to address the needs of our fast-changing environment.  Please join us on this exciting adventure as we prepare for a new era of medical education!

Editorial Board
Martha Chandler, Texas A&M
Kellie Engle, University of Washington
Ann Marie Hunt, University of Pennslyvania
Kerrie Quirk, Medical College of Wisconsin

CDIM Survey of Clerkship Administrators:
Created to collect information about job and salary concerns, survey results help clerkship administrators write resumes, create job descriptions, and provide objective data regarding salary ranges of peers. 

Clerkship Administrators Journal Club
The clerkship administrator’s journal club is an online community to promote yearlong professional development.  Past articles have addressed topics regarding leadership principles, time management, and how to save an unproductive work day.   Healthy discussion has been happening on AAIM connects journal club page.  Articles are sent out every other month and a final discussion is held at the annual meeting.  To join the group and have access to the articles please go to AAIM connect and follow the instructions below.

• Login to AAIM connect.  The login is located on the top right hand corner of the CDIM webpage.
• Click on Communities and select join a community by topic (CBT).  Communities is located under the “o” in connect.
• Scroll down to CBT: Education Communities.  It is the 3rd community.
• Click on join next to Clerkship Administrators Journal Club.  It is the third choice under Education Communities.
• Once you have joined the community click on the box under forums on the right hand side of the page to subscribe to your email alerts.