USA Resident Selected as Vice Chair of AMA Resident and Fellow Section

Dr. Emile Kleyn, a second-year resident physician at the University of South Alabama College of Medicine, recently was selected as vice chair of the American Medical Association’s Resident and Fellow Section (RFS) for Region 4 -- North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida.

Every year during the national meeting, a vote is held for the regional governing positions. “I was voted in during the 2014 meeting held in Chicago,” Dr. Kleyn said. “It was a huge honor to be selected, and I’m very excited to serve a group of energetic, bright young people.”

The responsibilities of both the chair and vice chair include informing state leaders of current and future RFS events and facilitating communication between the local, regional and national RFS leaders, as well as coordinating and presiding over the regional meetings. In addition, they develop new ways to increase resident and fellow participation and increase membership for the RFS.

Dr. Kleyn said he is looking forward to becoming more involved in the RFS, the largest organization of residents and fellows in the United States. “There are so many opportunities to be a voice for policies that could directly impact national legislation,” he said.

“Creation of legislature is a part of medicine that one does not encounter as part of medical school and residency training,” Dr. Kleyn added. “I feel that as a resident physician it adds a great deal of understanding as to why we do some of the things we do and where those policies and regulations came from. Realizing that residents, fellows and even medical students are writing policies, voting and directly playing a part in this process is very empowering and makes implementing them in daily life more personal.”

According to Dr. Kleyn, being part of the AMA-RFS has been one of the highlights of his residency training. “I've met some amazing health care professionals and would encourage anyone interested in being part of this dynamic group of people to become involved.”

RFS was created by the AMA in 1974 to represent and advocate for resident and fellow physicians and to train young physician leaders. With the support of members, Resident and Fellow Sections fight to improve working conditions, reform America's health care system, improve medical education, and create tools to help resident and fellow physicians succeed both personally and professionally. The RFS has representation and direct involvement in all levels of the AMA. For more information on the AMA-RFS, click here.