APPM LOOKING BACK
In 1976, deep into a cold and wintry night, Diony Faustino was driving back home from Virginia. He just attended a meeting of the Philippine Medical Association of Washington. He was clearly tired. For earlier that day, he also ministered to a waiting room full of patients. Then, he wondered why do I have to drive so far? Why can't we have our own association of physicians in Maryland? That week he mentioned the idea to his close friends, Cesar Castillo, Ben Lazaro, Gerry Alonso, among others. The seeds of APPM were sown. The initial response of the other Filipino physicians in the community to the idea was at best tepid. Diony said, "It took two years before we could get it going." Gus De Leon, Ed Singca, Jimmy Punzalan were among the first officers. Organizational meetings were held. But, the attendance left a lot to be desired. Perhaps the physicians at that time, enjoying the independence in the golden era of unencumbered medicine, were not ready for the idea. The concept of the idea being touted1as a possible chapter of the APPA (Association of Philippine Physicians in America) did not sit well with some. A remark was made that one of the reasons for the low attendance during the meetings was. bec't.iuse meals were not part of the agenda. Nowadays, the luncheon meetings are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. With gustatory entertainment being free, a member had to make a reservation'to get into the meeting. A group of new members joined the organization in the mid-1980s. Ben Oteyza, Ferdie Rodriguez, Mayette Caragay, and Ray Magno joined and eventually each became president of APPM. In 1985, bylaws were ratified and further defined the structure of the organization. The APPM was legally incorporated in the same year. A concerted appeal was sent to all Filipino physicians in Maryland to join the organization. The membership quadrupled. In the mid-1980s, there was a conscientious effort on the part of the organization to get involved in the affairs of the Maryland State Medical Society (MedChi). The APPM members were encouraged to join, and by design, were appointed to different committees of MedChi. The hope was to be able to participate in the policy making of MedChi instead of being mere bystanders. As a result of involvement, the APPM helped influence some important legislation at the time. In the 1980s, there were growing sentiments among our American peers to limit the entry of international medical graduates in Maryland. The Board of Physician Quality Assurance (BPQA) through MedChi attempted to enact legislation, in which two sets of requirements, one for international medical graduates (IMG) and another for American medical graduates. The requirements for an IMG obtaining licensure would have included 3 years of residency training within the State of Maryland. That would have severely limited entry of IMG physicians who trained in other states. The APPM together with other groups lobbied against this legislation. This attempted restrictive legislation was finally abandoned by the State Medical Society.
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