Psychiatr News April 21, 2006
Volume 41, Number 8, page 10
© 2006 American Psychiatric Association
CANDIDATES FOR SPEAKER-ELECT
Philip M. Margolis, M.D.
Biographical Statement
Currently I am professor of
psychiatry (emeritus) at the University of Michigan and very active. I am
director of forensic psychiatry. Most of my professional life has been spent
in academia; it has been a base from which I branched out in many directions.
I am a distinguished life fellow of APA and a diplomate of ABPN.
I started out in hospital psychiatry; I was analyzed, did dynamic
outpatient psychotherapy, and still do psychotherapy with and without
medications. I became director of a community mental health center and took a
sabbatical to be a consultant to the Peace Corps. I am a firm believer in the
integration of psychiatry with the rest of medicine, have been president of
the county medical society, and have done considerable consultation/liaison
work. As concurrent chair of the legislative committees of the Michigan
Psychiatric Society (MPS) and Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS), I have
lobbied for mental health throughout Michigan.
Within the broad base of forensic psychiatry, I have become very interested
in ethics and in workplace issues, which center around returning to work as
well as disability issues. I have been a consultant to the Powertrain Division
of General Motors since 1972. I was one of the founders and first chair of the
U-M Hospital Ethics Committee and am still on the committee. I was appointed
to the Michigan State Board of Medicine, was a member for eight years,
including chair for two years. I am chair of the Licensing and Discipline
Committee of the MSMS.
I have spent half of the last 23 years as a Michigan Assembly
representative, have been on the Board of Trustees, did a stint as secretary,
and have been on many APA components. I am on the Audit Committee and a
consultant to the Membership Committee.
Candidacy Statement
I am a candidate for speaker-elect of the Assembly. I did not seek the
nomination, but I was honored to be asked, and, if elected, I will be honored
to serve.
In the Assembly recently, I have been instrumental in writing and
successfully supporting a number of action papers dealing with retention and
recruitment of members, which represent a streamlining of the membership
process (automatic upgrades, transfers, and graduated dues). As chair of the
Membership Committee of the MPS, I am striving to make the process more
personal—to forgive, to recommend amnesty, to respect the member,
sometimes to meet with him/her in person.
The work of the Assembly affects patients and psychiatrists of all ages. I
am especially committed to the residents and ECPs who are the real future of
MPS-APA, the source of our potential strength, our future leaders. I am on the
reference committee that discusses and evaluates action papers around
education/training/career development. I am chair of the Lifers' caucus in the
Assembly and a past president of the Lifers. I believe we can be helpful
around mentoring and bringing a sense of history, of "memory" to
APA.
The work of the Assembly embodies a continuing array of new and old ideas,
topics, and problems demanding thoughtful deliberation, debate, and
(hopefully) resolution. A sampling of "cutting-edge" issues
requiring the attention of the speaker-elect et al.: Facilitating access to
mental health services. How do we cast our relationship with Big Pharma?
Psychologist prescribing and other scope-of-practice concerns. What do we do
with sexual offenders? Is civil commitment a feasible option? A new look at
district branch-APA relationships; another look at single-payer health
insurance.
Why vote for me? I bring a diversity of experience, knowledge, and
understanding born of longstanding service and a dedication, commitment, and
passion in regard to APA and, more specifically to the Assembly. Like the
Assembly, I am an advocate for our patients and for psychiatry; an advocate
for all seven Areas; everyone has his/her own (local) needs. The Areas are
perhaps dissenting, but together in spirit, intent, and basic goals. The
Assembly is an idea factory for the Board; it is also a counterbalancer and
acts as advisor/consultant. We constantly need to cultivate and strengthen the
Assembly's liaison with the Board. It may be useful to have more Assembly
representation on the Board.
My style is that of a mediator, a negotiator, an integrator. It is a
personal style, of people to people; it is relating, often on a one-to-one
basis or in small groups. I strive to be a consensus-gathering person. I am
eclectic; I am utilitarian; I am accessible and approachable. Finally, I think
a sense of fairness is a critical aspect of the speaker of the Assembly. I
strive to be fair—I listen; I hear all sides. I believe in transparency,
in open participation. Finally, I am a manager who is comfortable in a
leadership role, who balances firmness with a sense of humor. You can trust
me.
Thank you for your consideration!
Footnotes
THE APA ASSEMBLY will elect a speaker-elect and a recorder at its
May meeting in Toronto. The candidates for these positions were asked to
provide Psychiatric News with biographical and candidacy statements.
These statements are published here to keep APA members informed of the
candidates' views and encourage APA members to contact their Assembly
representatives about the election.
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American Psychiatric Association.
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