No Name Change

American psychiatrists have reasons to be proud of their Association. Amazingly, APA’s dues have not increased in six years in spite of increased costs, new demands, and a dwindling membership, especially among the younger colleagues. Thanks to APA’s tight administration, expenditures have not exceeded receipts, but I will be surprised if these revenues can be sustained much longer without drastically altering one or more of the three factors mentioned above.

Superfluous expenditures, however miniscule, ought to be eliminated. I noted that our president-elect, Dr. Marcia Goin, wants to change APA’s name to the American Psychiatric Medical Association. What is wrong with American Psychiatric Association? Cardiologists and plastic surgeons have not felt a need to insert the word “medical” into the names of their professional societies. Changing APA’s name is an unnecessary, inessential move that should be shelved ASAP.