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The Caucus of South African Psychiatrists is now being established to help promote relations between North American psychiatrists and psychiatrists in a new post-apartheid South Africa. The caucus will be a 501c3 (tax-exempt, not-for-profit) organization, separate from APA.
Alan Gordon, M.D., a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Brown University and a deputy representative to the APA Assembly, told Psychiatric News that there are an estimated 110 association members who are practicing in the United States and are originally from South Africa.
This is nearly half the total number of psychiatrists still practicing in South Africa, Gordon said, a sizable diaspora that can exert a powerful influence on the development of relationships between North American psychiatry and a renascent South African nation.
Gordon, who has been practicing in America for 13 years, said he believes most South African psychiatrists in the United States still strongly identify with their nation of origin.
"For the most part, South African medical graduates who have left South Africa retain a strong identity with, and emotional connection to, South Africa," he said. "In general, those of us who have left South Africa have been successful professionally, and we attribute this in large part to the high quality of medical school training we received in South Africa. We have shared common experiences, such as working within the confines of the apartheid system, facing professional isolation, dealing with the decision-making process around emigration, and consequently losing our 'alumni' group identity."
Gordon outlined three principal goals and objectives of the proposed Caucus of South African Psychiatrists: educational exchange, identity and information exchange, and fund raising.
Gordon said he believes there are many opportunities to collaborate in the exchange of trainees, specialty mentorship, and collaborative research.
"Some of us have combined return trips to South Africa with grand rounds or workshop presentations in our areas of expertise," Gordon told Psychiatric News. "If these trips were coordinated, we would be able to reach out to larger groups."
Additionally, the caucus will provide an opportunity for the "rekindling of old friendships and acquaintances and for creating a network within the U.S.," Gordon said.
The caucus will also serve as a consultative body to the newly appointed Task Force on Sub-Saharan Africa. The idea for that task force grew in part out of a visit by past APA president Mary Jane England, M.D., and others, to ®MDBU¯South Africa in the fall.
By far the greatest challenge facing South Africa today--generally, and within the field of psychiatry--is lack of resources, Gordon said, and the caucus can play a valuable role in helping to raise money for professional colleagues in South Africa.
"There are many of us who have skills in fund raising, grant writing, and access to the leadership of foundations and pharmaceutical companies," he said.
He added that one particularly acute issue in South African psychiatry today is a proposal by the Ministry of Health to cut drug costs, which has led to a threat from the pharmaceutical industry to pull out of the country.
Gordon said psychiatrists interested in joining the caucus should contact him in writing at 345 Blackstone Boulevard, Providence, R.I. 02906 or fax him at (401) 421-6676. Gordon especially urged members to correspond by e-mail at the following address: Alan--Gordon@brown.edu.
(Psychiatric News, July 4, 1997)