About

From the Governor

Governor’s Welcome

Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the Oregon Chapter of the American College of Physicians, the professional home for 1600 Oregon internal medicine physicians, including about 40% of those in practice. Our chapter has a strong history of supporting the goals of the ACP to promote better patient care, professional education and community, and engagement with policy makers, patients, and peers about active issues in our healthcare environment. Have these activities ever been more important?  This website has many resources to support you and, consequently, the people we serve. If you are an internal medicine physician in Oregon and not yet an ACP member, I invite you to browse these pages and learn how ACP can make your professional life easier, richer, and more rewarding.

The American College of Physicians, founded in 1915, is the nation’s largest medical specialty organization representing over 160,000 internal medicine physicians–doctors for adults–whether generalist or subspecialist, practicing or retired, resident or student, trained in the US or abroad.  ACP has about 20 dedicated international chapters, and members in 170 countries.

As Governor of the Oregon Chapter, I have the responsibility for responding to your needs; representing our chapter to the national organization and employing our influence on its activities; encouraging membership and advancement to Fellowship; recognizing our volunteer members’ special achievements; encouraging input and action on national and local political issues that overlap with the scope of internal medicine; hosting local scientific meetings and CME events; and encouraging students and residents to participate in local and national college activities. 

As a new governor (with a term of four years) I am lucky to have inherited a vibrant chapter whose members–all volunteer–have a national reputation for energy, creativity, commitment, and leadership. What motivates us? I suspect many will agree that it is the collegial encouragement to be the best and most fulfilled physician-citizens we can be. 

This site is your link to internal medicine physicians in Oregon and the nation.  Check the site regularly for updates, activities, and contact information for myself, other chapter leaders, and our Executive Director Mike Oechsner (866.460.5880 office@oregonacp.org.) 

If you have ideas for this site, for the chapter, or–critically–for how the chapter can enhance your professional life and the health of our patients, then I would like to hear from you at alex.schafir@oregonacp.org.

Please introduce yourself at any one of our many chapter events, including the Oregon Annual Scientific Meeting in the Fall and the national Internal Medicine Meeting.

With gratitude for your work,

Alex Schafir MD FACP
Governor

Purpose

The purposes of the Oregon Chapter American College of Physicians are exclusively those allowed for organizations under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Oregon Chapter ACP is a Chapter of the parent organization, the American College of Physicians. Within these limits, the purposes of the Oregon Chapter American College of Physicians include the following:

• To enhance the quality and effectiveness of health care by fostering excellence and professionalism in the practice of medicine.
• To establish and promote the highest clinical standards and ethical ideals.
• To be the foremost comprehensive education and information resource for all internists.
• To advocate responsible positions on individual health and on public policy relating to health care for the benefit of the public, our patients, the medical profession, and our members.
• To serve the professional needs of the membership, support healthy lives for physicians, and advance internal medicine as a career.
• To promote and conduct research to enhance the quality of practice, the education and continuing education of internists, and the attractiveness of internal medicine to physicians and the public.
• To recognize excellence and distinguished contributions to internal medicine.
• To unify the many voices of internal medicine and its subspecialties for the benefit of our patients, our members, and our profession.