Vision, Mission, Strategic Plan and Guiding Principles

Guiding Principles (Click here for PDF copy of Guiding Principles)

MPPDA Guiding Principles

1. Name

The name of the organization shall be the Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association (henceforth called “the Association” or “MPPDA”).

2. Purpose

The Association was formed to advance medical education in combined internal medicine-pediatrics (med-peds) residency programs, which are approved by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP).  MPPDA works in conjunction with the Association of Pediatric Program Directors (APPD) and the Association of Program Directors in Internal Medicine (APDIM) to improve medical education, promote the growth of combined internal medicine-pediatrics residencies, educate medical students as to the existence and curriculum of medicine-pediatrics residencies, and promote the growth of the field of medicine-pediatrics.

MPPDA is an affiliate of both APPD and APDIM. APDIM is a founding member of the Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine.

3. Mission

MPPDA is a professional organization designed to support the pursuit of excellence in graduate medical education for the combined internal medicine-pediatrics specialty.  MPPDA, through its officers and executive committee, interacts with accreditors, certifying bodies, federal and regulatory agencies, and other professional organizations to promote excellence in the leadership and facilitation of graduate medical education training programs for internal medicine-pediatrics.

4. Membership

APDIM and APPD have authorized MPPDA to define its membership criteria.

Membership in MPPDA is offered to accredited internal medicine-pediatrics residency programs within departments of internal medicine and pediatrics from a qualifying institution(s).  Individuals in key positions in accredited internal medicine-pediatrics residency training programs as outlined below represent these programs.  These programs should be located in the United States or its territories, and Canada.  International programs may be included by the action of the Executive Committee.

Qualifying institutions are:

• Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME)- or Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS)-accredited medical schools with an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)- or Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC)-accredited internal medicine or pediatrics training programs housed in their respective departments.
• Community teaching hospitals with an ACGME- or RCPSC-accredited internal medicine or pediatrics training programs housed in their respective departments.

Such individuals may include, but not be limited to:

• Medicine-Pediatrics Program Director
• Assistant and Associate Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors
• Medicine Program Director or Co-Director
• Pediatric Program Director or Co-Director
• Medicine-Pediatrics Program Coordinator
• Medicine-Pediatrics Chief Resident
• Medicine-Pediatrics trained physicians who have national leadership roles
• Physicians who are actively working to open a med-peds training program or who are actively involved with med-peds education
• Other individuals as approved on a case by case basis by action of the executive committee

5. Meetings

The Association will convene annual educational programs each spring. Ideally, the Association will meet in alternate years with APPD and APDIM (henceforth termed “sponsoring Associations”). Additional meetings may be scheduled if called by the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee will fix the precise date of these meetings with the sponsoring Association. Registration fees will be set through discussion with the sponsoring Association.

6. Governance

MPPDA shall be overseen by an Executive Committee (herein referred to as the “Committee”).  The MPPDA Executive Committee reports to and is delegated its authority by the APDIM Council. Duly elected officers and representatives shall constitute the MPPDA Executive Committee.  The officers of the Committee shall consist of the President-Elect, President, Immediate Past President, Past President, and Secretary-Treasurer.  There will also be one Member Representative and one Association of Medicine-Pediatrics Program Administrators (AMPPA) representative.  The executive committee will meet at least quarterly, either in person or by conference call.

The Executive Vice President of AAIM shall ensure the overall management of the Association and the implementation of goals and objectives set forth by the Executive Committee.

Resignation.  In the event that a member of the executive committee is not able to complete his or her term in office, it shall be the option of the Committee to select a replacement. The replacement shall serve only until the next scheduled election, and the vacancy shall be treated in the same fashion as any other position on the Committee to complete the specific term which they are replacing.

Term Limits. Members of the MPPDA Executive Committee are limited in running for a total of two terms, consecutive or non-consecutive.

  A. Officers and their duties

President.  The President will serve a term of one year and shall engage the committee to lead the general direction and promotion of MPPDA.  The President shall preside over the meetings of the committee, shall be assisted by the other executive committee members and may seek aid, as needed, from other individuals.  The President may, during the absence of any executive committee member, and with the exception of voting rights, delegate said member’s duties to any other member on an interim basis.  The President serves as an ex-officio voting member of APDIM Council and serves as the primary interface between MPPDA and its parent organizations (ACGME and ABMS) and affiliates (AAIM, APDIM, APPD, NMPRA, ACP, and AAP).

President-Elect.  The President-Elect will serve a term of one year and at the end of one year assume the role of president.  The President-Elect shall in the absence or incapacity of the President, perform the duties of the President. The President-Elect shall perform other such duties as may be delegated from time to time by the President; and shall otherwise function as a member of the council.

Immediate Past President. The Immediate Past President will serve for a term of one year.  The Immediate Past President shall manage the selection process to identify MPPDA committee chairs as well as oversee MPPDA committees and work with committee chairs to implement strategic plans.

Past President.  The Past President will serve a term of one year and shall in the absence or incapacity of the President and President-Elect, perform the duties of the President, and shall perform other such duties as may be delegated from time to time by the President; and shall otherwise function as a member of the council.

Secretary-Treasurer.  The Secretary-Treasurer will serve a term of four years.  The Secretary-Treasurer’s primary role is to monitor the financial health of MPPDA, advocate for fiscally responsible decision-making for MPPDA, and take minutes during executive committee meetings.

MPPDA Member Representative.  The Member Representatives shall serve for two (2) years.  The Member Representative’s role is to serve as a liaison between the MPPDA membership and Executive Committee and participate in strategic initiatives at the direction of the President.

AMPPA Representative. The AMPPA Representative’s term will coincide with his or her service as AMPPA Chair and is a non-voting position.  The AMPPA Representative’s role is to serve as a liaison between AMPPA membership and the Executive Committee and participate in strategic initiatives at the direction of the President.

  B.  Committees

Working committees shall be identified to address the needs, interests, and mission of MPPDA.  Membership on committees shall be open to all current members.

The President, with the advice of the officers, will also appoint the chairs of the committees.  Terms for committee chairs and members will generally be for two years, unless otherwise directed by the President. The President and executive committee have the option to renew membership on a committee following the completion of a term.

  C. Nominations and Voting

Nominations. Nominations shall be solicited electronically from the current membership. Any current member of the Association may nominate a candidate, only physician members may serve as a candidate for president-elect, secretary-treasurer, or member representative.  The President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer must either be, or have been, a Program Director or Associate Program Director, as defined under “Membership,” and a current member of MPPDA.

The final slate of candidates will be composed by the Executive Committee.

Voting for the Executive Committee. Each MPPDA member in good standing shall be allowed one vote.  All issues requiring a vote of the membership will be conducted by an electronic ballot. The total number of votes received shall constitute a quorum. Nominees for each executive committee position who receive a simple majority of votes will be offered a position on the MPPDA Executive Committee. In the event of a tie between two or more candidates, “run-off” elections will be held until an individual is elected. For a vote taken on any other matter, except as otherwise provided in the Guiding Principles, the matter shall be acted upon affirmatively according to the largest number of votes cast.

The period between the spring meeting and July 1 will be used to assist with transition and completion of duties for that year, with newly elected officers participating in executive committee activities.  Official duties and terms for each elected officer begin July 1 following their election and last until the next June 30.

Voting for Non-Election Matters.  At all meetings of the executive committee and working committees, a simple majority of the executive committee or working committees shall constitute a quorum. If a vote is taken on any matter during a meeting, except as otherwise stipulated in the Guiding Principles, the matter shall be acted on affirmatively following a favorable vote by a simple majority of voting executive committee or working committee members. In the event of a tie between two or more options, “run-off” elections will be held until the matter is decided.

7. Annual Dues and Fiscal Matters

The Association will collect annual dues set by the Executive Committee. At the discretion of the Committee, members may not receive member services if dues are not paid.

On an annual basis, a budget will be developed and submitted for approval by the AAIM Board of Directors. All requests for non-budgeted expenditures must be submitted to the AAIM Finance Committee for consideration. The AAIM Finance Committee will submit appropriate requests to the AAIM Board of Directors for approval. The APDIM representative to the AAIM Finance Committee is the current APDIM Treasurer and will represent MPPDA in these discussions.

On an annual basis the financial records of AAIM are subject to audit. The audit is overseen by the AAIM Finance Committee.

Members of the executive committee or MPPDA will not be compensated beyond the reimbursement of reasonable expenses for related travel or other business, as outlined in the AAIM Expense Reimbursement Policy, or otherwise gain financially from service in MPPDA or AAIM.

8. Amendments to the Guiding Principles

Review of these guiding principles shall be initiated by the executive committee periodically. Any changes shall be presented to, reviewed by, and agreed upon by the Committee.

Amendments to the guiding principles will be made in accordance with the following procedure:

1. A copy of the guiding principles including the proposed changes will be presented to the members prior to the spring meeting.
2. Members shall submit comments to the Committee in a predetermined time frame.
3. A vote to approve the proposed amendments will be held prior to the spring meeting.
4. The proposed amendments shall be adopted upon the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes received as defined in “6.C. Voting for Non-Election Matters.”
5. The election results will be presented in the Secretary-Treasurer’s annual report at the spring meeting.