Lifetime Learning

Lifetime Learning: Notes from the June 2008 Texas Medical Board Meeting

At the Board meeting, there was an expression to further the educative aspect of the Board. Thus, the Board is planning at least ten more Town Hall meetings have been planned accompanied with legislator visits and Licensure Orientations. To help with these projects a new staff member has been hired to focus entirely on community outreach meetings. The Texas Medical Board is reaching out to reopen the lines of communication with the public and the licensees. Many Board members discussed favorably the idea of the Board as a source of lifetime learning.

My Thoughts: The town meetings are nice, but real learning requires holding CME course, using the newsletter and web site to better educate the doctors on rules that affect their daily practice. That is real learning. This is not being adequately done by the Board, in my opinion. Several Board members have been talked about this for years. I hope there is a movement towards this. This would be a win-win for both sides.

Dr. Anderson Resigns from the TMB

Lawrence Anderson, M.D., a dermatologist from Tyler, Texas resigned as a member of the Texas Medical Board. Dr. Anderson was an active member of the Board and served on various committees of the Board, including, but not limited to the Executive Committee and the Ad-Hoc Search Committee for a new Executive Director. I am grateful for his service on the Board. There was no public statement to given for his resignation.

By law, there are 19 members of the Board, nine must be allopathic physicians (MDs), three must be osteopathic physicians (DOs) and the remaining seven are public members.

The Governor must appoint a new MD member, but there is no timeline to do so. If you are interested in becoming a member of the Board or wish to nominate someone, you can do so by completing an application from the governor's web site at www.governor.state.tx.us/divisions/appointments