Tuesday 21 February 2012

Origins of the West Midlands Physicians Association

The West Midland Physicians Association (WMPA) was formed in 1950 shortly after the founding of the National Health Service. The 2 inaugural members were Melville Arnott (William Withering Professor of Medicine, University of Birmingham) and James Sheldon, Consultant Physician, Royal Hospital, Wolverhampton & Chairman of the Consultant Advisory Committee, Birmingham Hospital Board. They invited Dr. George Whitfield to create the association as its first Secretary.
The key aims of the founders of the WMPA were advancing internal medicine and promoting friendship among physicians in the West Midlands. The meetings of the WMPA now attract around 150 senior and junior physicians to twice-yearly meetings with named lectures, and awards for the best presentations by doctors in training.
If you wish to find out more about the development of the WMPA, see the article on our website by founding member Professor Keith Shinton.
See our website for information about future meetings, how to join the WMPA, and how to apply to present at a meeting.

Drugs, risks and health: key themes at the next WMPA conference

Medical services in the UK's West Midlands provide internationally recognized care aimed at preserving health, and preventing and treating of disease within a population of around 5.2 million. Since 1950, the West Midlands Physicians Association has provided an active forum to promote post-graduate education on prevention and treatment of medical disorders. The WMPA continues to hold twice yearly conferences in May and November for senior and junior doctors, each meeting having a major theme. Meetings programmes include invited lectures by experts on medicine and related disciplines, CPC (clinical-pathological correlation) discussions, presentations by doctors in training of original research, and case reports and case series. Conferences incorporate Specialist Registrar Training and Consultant CPD.
The next meeting of the WMPA has updates on Clinical Pharmacology as its major theme and will be held on Wednesday 16th May 2012 at the Clinical Sciences Building at the University Hospital Campus in Coventry. The key invited speakers are Dr Andrew Kicman (King's College London) on drugs in sport, Professor of Psychiatry Femi Oyebode (Birmingham) on the pharmacological treatment of psychosis, Dr Richard Fitzpatrick (Liverpool) on advances in pharmacogenetics, Dr Paul Newrick (Worcestershire Royal Hospital)on medical advances in managing diabetes mellitus, and Dr Francisco Leyva (University Hospital, Birmingham) on drugs and devices in the management of heart failure.
In view of the large number of high quality abstracts submitted, an attended poster session will be included in the May 2012 meeting.
Registration is open to members and guests (subject to availability of places).
For further information, contact the WMPA organizers.