*UPDATE: August 16, 2018*

Dear DC Rheumatism Society Members,

It is with great pleasure that I write to you as the President of the DC Rheumatism Society for 2018-2019. The first time I ever walked into a DC Rheumatism Society meeting I was in awe by how much “brain power” there was in the room. It is truly an amazing society and I am so glad to be a part of it. I would like to thank our outgoing president, Dr. Sean Whelton, for his excellent leadership and for leaving the society in great shape. As I move into the role of president, Dr. Victoria Shanmugam will become this year’s vice-president, and Dr. Tara Jamshidi will be this year’s treasurer.

This year we have another great line up of speaker. The meetings will all be held at the Pooks Hill Marriott in Bethesda. We always start with a meet and greet with our sponsors. Please make an effort to meet with them as their contributions make our meetings possible. At 7pm our dinner buffet is served. At 7:30pm our speakers and any other special guests take the floor. CME will be provided through MedStar using the same telephone text system as in the past. The telephone number is (202) 796-7323. To get CME credit you send a text message with the message 274. If you are registered in the past, you will get confirmation in a few seconds. You only need to register once. The system will remember you by your phone number.

We will also have a new format for the Fellows Forum this year! We will hold it at the Pooks Hill Marriott on the evening of the 15th of May and society members will judge the posters during the meeting and awards will be given. We will also hear the award research podium presentations pre-selected by the DC Rheumatism Board of Directors. The Fellows Forum continues to be a popular program amongst not only our trainees, but the greater DC/MD/VA rheumatology community as they come together to see and hear about the great research and cases presented by our fellows, residents, post-docs and area medical students.

Finally, we also have two other SAVE THE DATE meetings. The Ultrasound Course will be held on Saturday, September 29th. Additionally, during the ACR meeting in Chicago we will have a dinner talk given by Dr. Elizabeth Perkins, MD on “Understanding the Science of Wellness-Divide No More-The Brain Body Connection.”

Dues are $100 (basic Member Level) however if you wish to contribute more, your generosity will be noted on the Membership Directory. Fellow trainees will have dues covered by the society ($0). The other membership levels are: $250 (Partner Level), $350 (Patron Level), $500 (Benefactor Level).

Finally, I would like to thank our dedicated secretary, Ethel Sauro, for helping to coordinate all the intricacies which make this society work. Ethel’s experience and knowledge have been invaluable. I look forward to an exciting and expansive year for the Rheumatism Society of the District of Columbia! Please feel free to contact me with any suggestions or questions.

Sincerely,
Daniel El-Bogdadi, MD