Message from Outgoing President

Irene McAleer, MD Irene McAleer, MD

Dear Members,

It seems like only yesterday that I was the President of your organization, when it was actually only last week.

We had a good turnout at the 2008 Annual meeting at the Hapuna Beach Prince Resort with great presentations and discussions about imaging and surgical techniques, including robotics and laparoscopic video presentations, and interesting and unusual case presentations. Dr. Joe Ortenberg presented the impact that Hurricane Katrina had on New Orleans and the medical community there as well as some suggestions for how to manage personal and medical situations in a major natural disaster. Drs. Gleason and Landa brought us 'up to date' on the computerized medical records and pediatric urological information website development and Dr. David Moorhead presented the 'hospital' perspective and, ultimately, our implementation of hospital and medical safety requirements that will be coming our way from regulatory agencies, industry and government.

Thanks to Eugene Minevich and the Cincinnati Children's Hospital and Medical Center, we will be receiving 18.75 CME credits for attending the meeting. This is critical to many members for continued attendance to have CME credits awarded and getting these credits shows just how far the AAPU has come from a strictly 'travel group' association.

Potential affiliation with the Journal of Pediatric Urology and/or with UROLOGY was discussed. Both publications have requested a closer relationship with our organization with discounted subscription rates for members, but these proposals will be presented to the entire membership as the subscriptions may impact the amount due in membership dues if we decide to affiliate ourselves with either publication.

There have been several requests by foreign urologists and surgeons as well as from current fellows to attend our meeting which demonstrates the increased attractiveness of our informal meeting format and variable meeting locales.

We have continued to have good industry support but this support is more and more difficult to obtain and may be more of an issue in the future for our organization. I appreciate the support received this year and the attendance at the meeting by representatives from Q-Med, FSC Industries, Astra-Tech, Coloplast and Synergy.

Dr. Ross Decter has researched and found a wonderful spot for the 2009 meeting at Crusted Butte, Colorado and Dr. Larry Baskin has been selected as President-Elect for the 2010 meeting. I would like to extend my best wishes for great success to both Dr. Decter and Dr. Baskin for our future meetings.

Again, many thanks to you, the membership, for your continued support and interest in the American Association of Pediatric Urology.

Best regards,

Irene M. McAleer, M.D.
Past-President, AAPU