16 Nov “Who do we want to be and how do we get there?” – President’s Message, Aasta D. Mehta, MD, MPP (2022)
It’s an honor to serve as the President of the Obstetrical Society of Philadelphia. I have been on the board for about ten years and can’t believe that my time has come to lead the Society. As one of the younger members of the Board, I often thought about how the Society should respond to a changing membership demographics, easier access to medical education through technology, and less interest in organized medicine participation. These questions, coupled with a global pandemic, has left the Society to answer the biggest question: who do we ant to be and how do we get there? To answer this, we plan to undergo Strategic Planning so that we can continue to stay relevant in the modern world. While we go through these growing pains, my goal for the meetings this year are to provide an assortment of topics that are both relevant, interesting, and thought provoking: the first half of the year will focus the implications of the post Dobbs era, what is at stake in for abortion access in Pennsylvania, and what providers are currently facing on the front lines. We will then build upon that by discussing the ethical considerations that our colleagues across the country are grappling with in the face of total abortion bans. Next year, we will learn more about innovations in our field that could perhaps change the way we practice in the future. This will culminate in sharing back what we have learned from our Strategic Planning process and unveiling the future direction of our Society. I hope that you will join us on this journey and we look forward to seeing you this year!