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Utopia
0022-5347 /79/1224-0438$02.00/0 Vol. 122, October Printed in U.S.A.
THE JOURNAL OF UROLOGY
Copyright© 1979 by The Williams & Wilkins Co.
Special Article UTOPIA WILLIAM B. GARLICK I address you today with great humility and pride. It is, indeed, an honor and a privilege to be President of this prestigious Association and I wish to thank all of you and especially my associates for making this year possible. Vivian and I visited 7 section meetings this year-the exception being the North Central Section, where by tradition the President-Elect attends. I hasten to add that we attended the North Central Section meeting last year and had a wonderful time. Each section meeting was different and delightful, and we came away from each with the feeling that the attachment to the parent body was stronger than ever. We would be remiss if we failed to thank the sections for their warmth, hospitality and friendship. It was truly a wonderful and unique experience that we shall never forget. As you know the 8 sections are autonomous bodies under the aegis of the American Urological Association. Each runs its own organization and meetings and is not controlled or dictated to in any fashion by the parent body. The officers of the AUA, the home office and the Office of Education only help, counsel and guide. For many years the sections and the AUA have had a fine working relationship with great unity of purpose. We are most grateful for this and for the fact that the bonds grow ever stronger. During my tenure in the AU A, as chairman of the Review and Long Range Planning Committee, member of the Executive Committee from the Northeastern Section, Secretary, President-Elect and now President, this strong relationship between the sections and the AUA produced a "vision". This like many visions ended in utopia. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of utopia is, and I quote, "Any condition, place or situation of social or political perfection. Any idealistic goal or concept for social and political reform." In my vision I saw all urological societies and all urologists-and I repeat all urologists-under the umbrella of the AUA, in the same fashion as the sections. To be more specific I envisioned the American Association of Clinical Urologists, American Association of Genito-Urinary Surgeons,
American Board of Urology, Society of Pediatric Urology and the Society of University Urologists all under the aegis of the AUA. In no way will they or should they lose identity or autonomy but will join together, primarily to bring unity of purpose to our specialty and to promote better patient care. I strongly believe that unity can only be accomplished in this manner. Since the new requirement for active membership in the AUA is board certification and since the American Board of Urology examination questions are a combined effort of the AUA and American Board, and stored in our Office of Education, part of this transition already has been accomplished. When one stops to analyze these various societies and the sections one is talking about the same individuals and, therefore, it seems logical and sensible and desirable to join forces under one parent body-not to lose identity or autonomy but to preserve that all important unity. I envision a yearly meeting of the AUA Executive Committee and an elected representative sponsored by each society. This meeting would allow for a free exchange of ideas and suggestions and allow each representative to report to his association all of the transactions and decisions in which each could play a part. As you all realize the government is rapidly trying to close in on us on every front with legislation and regulations. We, as urologists, are a small percentage of the medical community. In order to fight this bureaucracy, in order to have any hope of victory we must stand united. My vision went further-to the time when I hope the home office, the Office of Education and the American Board of Urology will all be housed in a central location for the efficiency, economy and benefit of all. I hope and I pray that you will implement my visions with dignity and dispatch. Let us move with strength. Let us strive for "utopia".
President's Address, read at annual meeting of American Urological Association, New York, New York, May 13-17, 1979.
438
1467 Western Ave., Albany, New York 12203.
THE JOURNAL OF UROLOGY
Copyright© 1979 by The Williams & Wilkins Co.
Special Article UTOPIA WILLIAM B. GARLICK I address you today with great humility and pride. It is, indeed, an honor and a privilege to be President of this prestigious Association and I wish to thank all of you and especially my associates for making this year possible. Vivian and I visited 7 section meetings this year-the exception being the North Central Section, where by tradition the President-Elect attends. I hasten to add that we attended the North Central Section meeting last year and had a wonderful time. Each section meeting was different and delightful, and we came away from each with the feeling that the attachment to the parent body was stronger than ever. We would be remiss if we failed to thank the sections for their warmth, hospitality and friendship. It was truly a wonderful and unique experience that we shall never forget. As you know the 8 sections are autonomous bodies under the aegis of the American Urological Association. Each runs its own organization and meetings and is not controlled or dictated to in any fashion by the parent body. The officers of the AUA, the home office and the Office of Education only help, counsel and guide. For many years the sections and the AUA have had a fine working relationship with great unity of purpose. We are most grateful for this and for the fact that the bonds grow ever stronger. During my tenure in the AU A, as chairman of the Review and Long Range Planning Committee, member of the Executive Committee from the Northeastern Section, Secretary, President-Elect and now President, this strong relationship between the sections and the AUA produced a "vision". This like many visions ended in utopia. According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the definition of utopia is, and I quote, "Any condition, place or situation of social or political perfection. Any idealistic goal or concept for social and political reform." In my vision I saw all urological societies and all urologists-and I repeat all urologists-under the umbrella of the AUA, in the same fashion as the sections. To be more specific I envisioned the American Association of Clinical Urologists, American Association of Genito-Urinary Surgeons,
American Board of Urology, Society of Pediatric Urology and the Society of University Urologists all under the aegis of the AUA. In no way will they or should they lose identity or autonomy but will join together, primarily to bring unity of purpose to our specialty and to promote better patient care. I strongly believe that unity can only be accomplished in this manner. Since the new requirement for active membership in the AUA is board certification and since the American Board of Urology examination questions are a combined effort of the AUA and American Board, and stored in our Office of Education, part of this transition already has been accomplished. When one stops to analyze these various societies and the sections one is talking about the same individuals and, therefore, it seems logical and sensible and desirable to join forces under one parent body-not to lose identity or autonomy but to preserve that all important unity. I envision a yearly meeting of the AUA Executive Committee and an elected representative sponsored by each society. This meeting would allow for a free exchange of ideas and suggestions and allow each representative to report to his association all of the transactions and decisions in which each could play a part. As you all realize the government is rapidly trying to close in on us on every front with legislation and regulations. We, as urologists, are a small percentage of the medical community. In order to fight this bureaucracy, in order to have any hope of victory we must stand united. My vision went further-to the time when I hope the home office, the Office of Education and the American Board of Urology will all be housed in a central location for the efficiency, economy and benefit of all. I hope and I pray that you will implement my visions with dignity and dispatch. Let us move with strength. Let us strive for "utopia".
President's Address, read at annual meeting of American Urological Association, New York, New York, May 13-17, 1979.
438
1467 Western Ave., Albany, New York 12203.