2024 CMA House of Delegates Recap November 7, 2024 Areas of interest(s): advocacy; policy On October 26-27, a delegation from your SMCMA represented the association at the 2024 California Medical Association’s House of Delegates (CMA HOD) meeting in Sacramento. The HOD serves as the primary policymaking body of CMA and convenes once a year to bring together physician representatives from various medical specialties, geographic regions, and modes of practice. The primary purpose of the HOD is policy development and actions of the HOD are the basis to which CMA policy is created. These policies are essential in pursuing matters impacting the practice of medicine through legislative and regulatory affairs. During the meeting, two primary major issues were discussed, including 1) Rural Health and 2) Maternal Health Equity: Obstetric Deserts and Reproductive Health. Be on the lookout for the policy outcomes on these topics which will be released by CMA in the near future. 2025 CMA President Dr. Shannon Udovic-Constant was inaugurated during the meeting, and Dr. Rene Bravo was elected as the 2025 CMA President-Elect. Dr. Udovic-Constant is a Pediatrician from our neighboring San Francisco Marin Medical Society (SFMMS), and Dr. Bravo is a Pediatrician from San Luis Obispo County and the Central Coast Medical Association (CCMA). SMCMA is part of District VII of the HOD, which includes Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, and San Mateo Counties. District VII represents over 5,600 active physician members, 14.6% of CMA statewide membership of over 38,000 members. At the HOD meeting, District VII was represented by 47 Delegates and three Trustees from the CMA Board of Trustees. The SMCMA Delegation included current President Dr. Cindy Cooper; President-Elect Dr. Connor Lundy; Past President’s Dr.’s Dirk Bauman, David Goldschmid, Vincent Mason, Aditi Patel, Bill Tatomer, Barbara Weissman, Sara Whitehead; and Executive Director Mr. Keith Darby. If you are interested in making an impact on medicine or know a colleague who would represent physician practices, please complete the nomination form. Applications are accepted on a year-round basis, and individuals are encouraged to self-nominate. For questions regarding leadership service with your SMCMA, please email smcma@smcma.org.
