PMA-W Today
By Dr. Juanito P. Singson, M.D. - (September 2006)

The Philippine Medical Association of Wisconsin (PMA-W) was organized in 1998 as a result of the hard work put in by leaders to merge the two previous medical associations, namely, the Philippine Medical Society of Wisconsin (PMS-W) and the Filipino-American Medical Association (FAMA).

The creation of PMA-W must be put in perspective. For those not familiar with the history of the Filipino physician organization in Wisconsin, we have to go back to 1966 when FAMA was organized by a core group of Filipino physicians like Drs. Alex Vinluan, Mario Tolentino, Geronimo Santos as well as non-physicians like Steve Wanta and Atty. Louie Meier. This was an organization providing financial support to the Rizal MacArthur Memorial Foundation (RMMF) and doing biennial medical missions to certain designated areas in the Philippines. It was also a forum for social interaction among its members and their friends.

The late 60s and early 70s saw an increase in the migration of foreign medical graduates (FMG), including Filipino doctors, to the United States. Not satisfied with mainly social and charitable functions and the increased competitiveness of medical practice, a group of Filipino physicians saw a need to form a more pro-active, political physician organization. Led by the late Dr. Alejandro Guansing, Drs. Miguel Galang, Patricio Viernes, Jaime Yamat and myself, organized the PMS-W in 1980. Its major objective was to promote and enhance the standing of the Filipino physician and to integrate with organized medicine in Wisconsin.

For about two decades, PMS-W and FAMA co-existed, each one promoting its own agenda. While FAMA continued its support of the RMMF and its medical missions, PMS-W, in cooperation with other FMG organizations, made a historical milestone in taking the leadership of establishing in 1991 the IMG (International Medical Graduate) section of the State Medical Society (SMS) of Wisconsin. I was elected its first President 1991-1992. The purposes of the IMG section include: to provide a focal point for non-US medical graduates to address their concern in the SMS, to monitor the requirements and procedures involved in granting of license to practice medicine in Wisconsin and to initiate and follow through necessary legislation to ensure equitable requirements on par with those of US medical graduates.

During the two decades of co-existence, because of duplication of some of the functions, growing concerns were raised regarding uniting the two medical associations. What ensued was a movement for unification for merging PMS-W and FAMA. After several years, the merging finally materialized and the organization, named PMA-W was born in 1998. The objectives of the newly-established PMA-W include: to foster the highest standards of education, research and practice of medicine; to encourage and assist doctors to obtain the best possible post-graduate medical education and training; to provide financial assistance to the RMMF, the Philippine Cultural and Civic Center Foundation (PCCCF) and to establish scholarships for needy and deserving students of Filipino ancestry in Wisconsin. The PMA-W thus became the organization representing the Filipino physicians in Wisconsin.

The PMA-W went through some growing pains early on, but now stands on solid ground and can be proud of its members and their contributions to the community. Through its annual fund-raising dinner dance, the PMA-W has been a major financial supporter of the RMMF and the PCCCF Free Medical Clinic (FMC). PMA-W donated seed money to get the FMC organized in 2000. In addition to the annual financial support of the FMC, PMA-W is the major provider of physician volunteers for the FMC. In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, PMA-W sponsors scientific meetings for its members. It has also provided scholarship grants to qualified students.

Current officers of the PMA-W are:
President…..Jose Oscar Toledo, M.D.
President-elect…Raymond Ballecer, M.D.
Recording Secretary…Kathleen Uy, M.D.
Corresponding Secretary…Violeta Singson, M.D.
Treasurer….Carolina Conti, M.D.

There are 15 elected members of the Executive Board.
I hope that the PMA-W will continue to prosper and that its members meet the challenges in the practice of medicine in the 21st century.