Gratitude is the only word that can describe the way we at the Dade County Medical Association (DCMA) feel toward the physicians who dedicate their time, knowledge, and resources to make organized medicine a recognized force within Miami-Dade County. While the month of March is a time set aside to collectively recognize Doctors Day and share our thanks for physicians, we want our Miami-Dade physicians to know that at the DCMA every single day is “Doctors Day.”
Before I continue, I want to take a moment to share the etymology of the word “thanks” so we are clear with our expression of appreciation.
thank (v.)
Old English þancian, þoncian "to give thanks, thank, to recompense, to reward," from Proto-Germanic *thankÅjanan (source also of Old Saxon thancon, Old Norse þakka, Danish takke, Old Frisian thankia, Old High German danchon, Middle Dutch, Dutch, German danken "to thank"), from *thankoz "thought; gratitude," from PIE root *tong- "to think, feel." to express gratitude, appreciation, or acknowledgment to:
Based on the real meaning of the word, the DCMA wants to thank all the physicians who’ve volunteered throughout our organization’s history to promote and advocate for the highest standards of care and ethics in the profession. You’ve helped secure the best quality of service for our patients and helped make our communities healthier. Throughout our 113 years of existence, the DCMA has been witness and active participants in countless initiatives, programs, and events that have drawn thousands of physicians to advance the well-being of Miami-Dade County and the State of Florida.
With that said, we want to share exactly why we’re thankful for our local physicians, especially those who belong to the DCMA. Our physicians are educators; they donate their time to give seminars, and host workshops, health fairs, and trainings. They give back to the community, sharing their ideas and knowledge to fight for our patients and profession. They show their commitment and stand united as physicians, not just providers. They also share their personal and professional resources to reach every socio-economic level of society and ensure health care is accessible for everyone in the community.
Most of all, we want to thank our physicians for sharing their skills and dedication to conquer illness, heal patients, and seek new frontiers in medicine for the betterment of mankind.
As an illustration of our continued commitment to community, we want to share a variety of programs and events that we’ve delivered in recent months. Last year, the DCMA established the Community Outreach Committee which has delivered a number of programs including: behavioral management training programs for a number of Miami-Dade Police Departments; a STEM Program for young adults (12 to 15 years) in alliance with The Trayvon Martin Foundation and Ross University; a Business of Medicine Lecture Series for Residents in Training; and a Residents Day for physicians in training throughout Miami-Dade County.
Another core belief of the DCMA is that our leadership and organization should be diverse and reflect the community we serve. The Association has strived to encourage organizations that represent physicians in our community from different countries to become affiliated organizations of the DCMA. We are pleased that organizations representing physicians from Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Nicaragua have all joined our initiative to unite the physician community. The DCMA leadership is also representative of the diverse demographics of our community which strengthens our ability to collaborate and safeguard the integrity of the patient/physician relationship.
As we start a new decade, the DCMA will continue its commitment to promote the highest ethical and educational standards for the medical profession. Our current President, Antonio Mesa, D.O., and our next President, Rudolph Moise, D.O., will set the tone for the next decade of service to our community. Their commitment, hard work, and dedication are an example for all of us within organized medicine. We are proud that their leadership will establish the DCMA as the only Association in Florida, besides the Florida Ostheopathic Medical Association, to have Doctor of Osteopathy Presidents in back to back terms of office in the State of Florida.
These are just some of the many reasons why the DCMA expresses its gratitude to all of the physicians in our community.
We know gratitude is sometimes taken for granted within organized medicine, where a professional calling leads volunteers to get involved. But rest assured, at the DCMA, we recognize your dedication, thank you for your contributions, and celebrate your service and sacrifice to the practice of medicine. YOU, our physicians, are what makes the DCMA a diverse and vibrant organization that champions the physician/patient relationship above all else.
