The California Medical Association Foundation's Network of Ethnic Physician Organizations hosted its annual summit, "Ethnic Physician Leadership in the 21st Century," Nov. 19-20 at the Marriott San Mateo, drawing nearly 200 ethnic physicians, community leaders and nonprofit organizations.

Anmol Mahal, MD, CMA president-elect; Elena Rios, MD, president and CEO of the National Hispanic Medical Association; and Thomas Hopkins, MD, internist and medical media correspondent for KRCA Channel 3, Sacramento, were in attendance.

"NEPO is concerned about the next generation of ethnic physician leadership," says Doretha Williams-Flournoy, project director for NEPO. "The organization wants to make sure that young doctors get involved in organized medicine and start advocating for their communities. NEPO doesn't just want physicians to serve their communities, but to speak to legislators and the media on their behalf. That's why we held a media training workshop."

The summit also featured a seminar on physician workforce diversity and breakout sessions on cancer screening disparities and diabetes prevention and management. Ethnic physicians had the opportunity to network, exchange ideas and develop a plan for the future of NEPO.

"The NEPO steering committee adopted the 2006-10 strategic plan for the organization," Williams-Flournoy says. "The plan includes developing policy that will improve healthcare access for ethnic communities and reducing health disparities, while keeping diabetes at the forefront."

In January 2005, the network formally adopted a structure and steering committee headed by Arthur Fleming, MD, of the Charles R. Drew Medical Society in Los Angeles. Made up of delegates from more than 37 ethnic physician organizations, representing 20,000 physicians, the committee developed the group's strategic plan this past year. During the summit, the committee brought the strategic plan to the represented organizations, who adopted it.

NEPO has three initiatives for 2006-10. They are to maintain, sustain and ensure the viability of ethnic physician organizations; impact and interface with organized medicine to improve the healthcare delivery system; and improve health and eliminate healthcare disparities.

Rounding out the event, NEPO held a special ceremony for Rolland C. Lowe, MD, co-founder of CMAF and past president of the CMA and CMAF, the recipient of NEPO's 2005 Ethnic Physician Leadership Award. The award is given to an outstanding physician who promotes leadership, caring and compassion in medicine.

A San Francisco general and vascular surgeon, Dr. Lowe has a longstanding history of service in organized medicine and philanthropy. Dr. Lowe received a $1,000 honorarium and the ethnic physician organization of his choice received a grant of $1,000.

This is the first award presented by CMAF recognizing the achievements of ethnic physicians.

For more information on NEPO and its strategic plan, call 916/551-2550. Next year's summit will be held in Southern California.