Chapter Report – Fall 2010

American Medical Writers Association
North Central Chapter
Chapter Report – Fall 2010

Officers (October 2010 through September 2011)
President: Michael Franklin
President-Elect: Karen Steinhilber
Secretary: Mary Pat McGinnis
Co-Treasurers: Liz Davies and Alexandra Woods
Immediate Past President: Kimberly McGhee

Committee Chairs
Finance Committee: Michele Burlew
Membership Committee: Colleen Sauber
Program Committee: Marty Swain
Publications Committee: Todd Jensen

Membership
Number of members: 121 (as of September 29, 2010)
The chapter’s territory includes Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and northern Wisconsin.

Financial Status
Account balance on August 31, 2010, was $16,634.31.

2010 Events and Meetings
Spring Chapter Meeting: On May 21, 2010, the AMWA North Central Chapter sponsored a tour of the Mayo Clinic Multidisciplinary Simulation Center, a high-tech virtual hospital, where learners can better master complex care delivery without any risk to patients. Prior to the tour, AMWA members visited the Mayo Clinic Section of Scientific Publications, one of the largest in-house editing groups in academic medicine.

Fall Chapter Meeting: On October 8, 2010, at the Medtronic World Headquarters in Fridley, MN, AMWA members and their guests will attend a presentation by a Medtronic representative on the history of this medical device company. After the meeting, attendees will gather at the Shorewood Bar & Grill for a social hour.

AMWA Book Club: AMWA members meet periodically for lunch at a Minneapolis restaurant to discuss books related to medical writing and health issues (attendance: 5 to 6). Mary Knatterud coordinates the book club. For 2010, the group’s books are the following:

    September 27, 2010: Final Exam: A Surgeon’s Reflections on Mortality by Pauline W. Chen. 

    Monday, January 31, 2011: Listening to Prozac: The Landmark Book about Antidepressants and the Remaking of the Self by Peter D. Kramer

Southern Minnesota Area AMWA Writers and Editors Discussion Group: AMWA members and interested writers and editors in the Rochester area meet for lunch and discussion at Mayo Clinic on the fourth Friday every other month (attendance: 4 to 8).

AMWA Annual Conference Chapter Greet & Go: The AMWA North Central Chapter’s Greet & Go event at the recent annual meeting in Dallas was attended by 10 members.

Web Site
The chapter continues to add content to the redesigned Web site to further its role as an important communication vehicle for the membership. Profiles of AMWA members are published nearly every month; these articles highlight the varied career paths of current medical writers. The Web site also serves to publicize upcoming events and as a document archive. A password-protected part of the site contains historical documents (eg, attendance records, meeting minutes, financial reports) for reference by the Executive Committee.

The chapter launched a new e-mail service for local chapter members that forwards announcements of local freelance opportunities and job openings. A new form on the Web site allows potential employers (freelance or otherwise) to describe open positions. These descriptions will then be e-mailed only to those who have asked to receive these announcements.

Newsletter
A monthly newsletter continues to be published on the chapter Web site. Complete newsletters are archived online.

Outreach
The Membership Committee continues to focus its efforts on welcoming and orienting new members, on making contact with lapsed members, and on working with local universities and colleges to let students know about AMWA. In 2010, the Membership Committee is considering the creation of topical blogs for the chapter’s members specifically.

Plans for 2011
Two Chapter Meetings: The Program Committee will plan a spring meeting and a fall meeting as in previous years.

Small Group Meetings: The Book Club will continue to meet in Minneapolis, and the Discussion Group will continue to meet for lunch in Rochester.

Submitted by Michael Franklin
September 29, 2010