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The Israeli Medical Association (IMA) has, since its establishment in 1912, been a leader in health policy, an advocate for physicians and patients, and the body responsible for the professional and ethical standards of the medical profession in Israel. We are proud that the majority of Israel's physicians have elected to be members of our organization.
One of the most significant activities of the IMA is our World Fellowship (WF), instituted with the aim of involving doctors, residents, fellows and medical students, around the world with the medical profession in Israel and with their Israeli counterparts. The WF embodies the solidarity of physicians who share common values of support for the State of Israel and the Israeli medical profession. The organization promotes fellowship, ethical behavior, exchange of knowledge and networking between our members and likeminded colleagues in Israel and abroad.
The WF offers its international members many things. We host visitors and arrange professional and social meetings with other organizations, individuals and medical institutions, as well as with IMA representatives. The WF raises grants that allow Israeli physicians to go abroad for fellowship programs and encourages and assists physicians and medical students coming to Israel for exchange programs. Members abroad receive a quarterly newsletter in English entitled "IMA around the Globe", which updates them on what's happening at the IMA and branches around the world, and illustrates the positive aspects of medicine in Israel. They are also entitled to discounts at any conferences of which the IMA is part of the organizing committee. The establishment of a system to bring physicians to Israel during emergency times, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Labor Ministry and the Jewish Agency, is in progress.
The WF has enhanced ties with the Israeli Medical Student Organization, organizing guest lecturers and holding an international student session, most of whom were financially supported by the IMA, during its international conference in April 2007.
Organized by the IMA, in collaboration with other organizations, the WF has been active in humanitarian missions around the world, sending physicians and resources to many areas of need, including Sri Lanka, Uganda, the Solomon Islands, Nauru and Turkey in recent years. Furthermore, the WF intends to serve as a source of solidarity and a clearinghouse of support for Jewish communities in need, including humanitarian missions, in collaboration with other organizations.
Today the WF functions in a climate of change of attitude towards Israel, with the recent attempt of some British physicians to expel us from the World Medical Association and the proposal of enforcing academic boycotts against us. Members abroad have been alerted to attacks on Israel and Israeli medicine in the medical press, and the IMA WF members have provided assistance in combating anti-Israel sentiment and advocating for Israel and Israeli medicine. It has been heartwarming to witness the overwhelming support from around the world, which has assisted us greatly in combating prejudice against Israel. We are extremely proud that Dr. Yoram Blachar, the president of the IMA, was elected president of the World Medical Association this month, in spite of prejudice. We are therefore determined, more than ever, to encourage the creation of ties and cultivate cooperation between physicians in Israel and their colleagues abroad. Among other goals, we hope to bring medical professionals and medical institutions worldwide in closer contact with Israel, its medical organizations and the IMA and Israeli physicians in closer contact with their colleagues abroad.
However, our main goal is to enhance the mutual exchange of physicians so that long-term bonds will form.
We perceive our international conferences as the highlight of WF activities, and a positive step towards our goals, for they not only allow physicians to become acquainted with the high standard of medicine in Israel but, more importantly, they provide opportunities for physicians from different continents to come together, share thoughts and discuss common issues of Jewish and medical interest – all under the one roof of the IMA WF, as occurred in April this year when physicians from 22 countries attended the conference in Jerusalem, with guest speaker, President Shimon Peres.
Our next conference will take place 22-26 April 2009. The conference content will be of a very high standard, focusing on advanced technologies in medicine, health policy and medical ethics, but the gathering of physicians from different parts of the globe is no less important.
We hope that you will join the thousands of doctors in 19 countries who have become part of our international family.
Warm Wishes,
Dr. Tzaki Siev-Ner
Chairman
Israeli Medical Association, WF
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