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Congratulations on your graduation, a moment of 'celebration' – for all your wonderful achievements; of 'anticipation' – for a great career ahead; of 'gratitude' – to family, friends and mentors who have played a pivotal role in helping you get here; of 'responsibility' – to your patients to deliver the best care; and for 'payback' – to society and those following behind you! Your journey begins here, and I am excited to welcome you to the world of early career cardiology spanning the first seven years as a practicing cardiologist.
As I started to write this letter, I reflected upon my journey within the College over the past eight years as an FIT member of the Missouri Chapter Council, editor for the ACC FIT newsletter, chair of the ACC FIT Section, Fellow of the ACC, and currently the chair of the Early Career Section. The ACC played a significant role in my transition from FIT to an early career cardiologist which I would like to share with you here:
- The leadership skills I learned through the two-year ACC Leadership Academy program have been invaluable in molding me as an associate program director for cardiology fellowship at my institution.
- Educational content provided by the ACC through various avenues such as the Annual Scientific Sessions, JACC Journals, ACC ACCEL podcasts, CardioSmart, and clinical guideline documents help me provide the most up-to-date care for my patients and ACC-maintained data sets such as NCDR help us improve the quality of this care.
- ACC's board review material (ACCSAP) has helped me prepare for Board examinations and I am also looking to the ACC for my maintenance of certification.
- By participating in the ACC Legislative Conference in Washington, DC, and in grassroots efforts at the state level, I am able to advocate for my patients, colleagues and practices at large.
- With utmost priority to the health and well-being of its members, the ACC has recently included the quadruple aim of member wellness in its Strategic Plan for 2020 – 2023 and together with the Board of Governors Wellness Committee we were able to create a wellness toolkit for ACC members.
- Last but not the least, the ability to network and learn from peers and senior faculty has been invaluable in guiding me through my cardiology career.
Thus, I may read books to gain knowledge, but at ACC I learn from the wisdom of my colleagues and seniors; I may work hard to help my patients, but at ACC I am able to advocate for better care and make a difference in health care policy; I may look to friends and family for support, but my ACC family has helped me tremendously in navigating my career; I may exercise and keep well, but at ACC I am able to make a difference for the wellness of thousands of members.
As an FIT, I hope you benefitted from opportunities the ACC had to offer and that you will remain involved as an early career member making ACC your professional home. Finally, remember – 'Your life is your story and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential' – Kerry Washington. I hope you will make ACC a part of this exciting journey and look forward to working with you. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Poonam Velagapudi, MD, MS, FACC
Chair, Early Career Section of the American College of Cardiology
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Associate Program Director, Cardiology Fellowship
University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE
