PHILADELPHIA: The 36th annual convention of the Association of Kerala Medical Graduates (AKMG) at the Downtown Marriott in Philadelphia, September 5-7, was attended by hundreds of doctors and their families from the US, Canada, England and India.
The AKMG was formed three years earlier than the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin. The three-day convention began with a cruise around Philadelphia. On the second day, Onam was celebrated with traditional festivities including a reception to King Mahabaili with thalapoli and chenda melam followed by an Onam feast.
Various seminars, CME classes and campus comedy night which showcased the artistic talents of the doctors were the highlights of the convention. At the literary seminar several doctors read their literary works including poems. Dr MV Pillai, who moderated the event, noted the contributions of doctors like Dr Siddharth Mukherji and Dr. Abraham Verghese for literature.
During the gala on the concluding night, Dr Alex Thomas handed over the charge to incoming president Dr Sunil Kumar from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Dr Kumar, in his in augural address, said he will work to strengthen the organization and improve relations with other organizations like Fokana and Fomaa and also with organizations of other medical professionals. The attitude of the physicians keeping aloof from other medical professionals has no place in the US.
An aggressive move to enroll more members, especially youngsters, will be launched soon. As always, AKMG will continue the focus on charity activities and help the medical colleges back in Kerala. AKMG will strengthen the relations with AAPI, which can work nationally. Dr Kumar also promised to help Indian American candidates running for elections pointing out that they deserve our support as part of our community irrespective of party affiliations. Dr Kumar announced that the next convention will be held in Miami Beach on July 14-16 in 2016.
Dr Seema Jain, president of AAPI, noted that AKMG inspired the formation of AAPI. At the concluding public meeting, Dr Jain said there are more than 110,000 doctors and medical students of Indian origin in the US. The number of medical students is estimated at 38,000. In some universities, more than 30 percent of the students are of Indian origin.
She said. “AAPI continues to play a major role in health care in this country. We played a crucial role in securing the approval of Dr Vivek Murthy as Surgeon General.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom she met recently, is keenly watching the activities of AAPI and in his future plans AAPI has a special place. She asked all the Indian physicians to join AAPI.
Anto Antony, MP, the only political leader from India to attend the event, praised the achievements of Indian doctors using the knowledge gained from India. Once their departure from India was considered as brain drain, but now they are the brain bank of the country.
Dr Azad Mooppan, who runs upscale hospitals in several countries and five states in India, employing more than 13,500 people, quoted Silicon Valley experts who said that machines will replace 80 percent of the work currently being done by doctors. In future, the patient could sit at home and consult the doctor. “Yet the importance of the physicians or the profession will not be diminished. The roles may change,” he said.
Dr Alex Thomas, president of AKMG, noted that there are about 4000 doctors of Kerala heritage but only a few are associated with AKMG. He commented on the partnership between Jefferson University and Aster Medcity, in Kochi, India, spearheaded now by a second generation AKMG member from Jefferson University in Philadelphia.
Dr Kurian Abraham, patron of the AKMG, said that medical education is very expensive in America and many young doctors are more concerned about repaying the huge student loan they have taken, which has high interest rate too. They are more focused on career and money than social activities, he pointed out.
Dr Joseph Mathew, convention chair, Dr Narendra Kumar, former president of AKMG and AAPI, Dr Aravind Pillai, former president of AKMG and current chair of the AAPI Board of Trustees, addressed the delegates at the convention.
The cultural events included Amrutha Sandhya, a dance program by New Jersey based Kalashri School led by Bina Menon. The entertainment for the concluding night on Sept 6 was the Bobby Chemmanur Jayaram show.
Ajay Ghosh
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