Responsiveness and Resilience: Leading Through Public Health Crises
Course Overview
History of the Oration
The MMS Annual Oration dates back to 1804 when Dr. Isaac Rand delivered his dissertation entitled, On Phthisis Pulmonalis, and the Use of the Warm Bath. For more than 200 years, MMS orators
have addressed a wide spectrum of topics germane to the evolving practice of medicine.
In 2021, the COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has produced extraordinary challenges for our health care system. In addition to inflicting serious illness and an unprecedented loss of life, the pandemic has underscored the deep health and economic inequities
that disproportionately afflict communities of color and revealed the consequences of underinvestment in public health preparedness and prevention. Leaders on the frontlines of the response have had to make consequential decisions impacting individual
and community health in the context of resource shortages, conflicting information, and politicization of the pandemic.
The 2021 Annual Oration reflects and explores the mindset and skills essential to effective leadership before, during
and after a public health crisis. Whereas medicine has a primary role in healing those who are sick, the long-term health of individuals and communities is ultimately dependent upon the equitable distribution of socioeconomic resources and the acceptance
of public health information and interventions that empower people to protect themselves and others. In this webinar, recorded on December 2, 2021, Dr. Monica Bharel shares her experience leading through crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and
how it can help better inform our work to respond to future crises more effectively and equitably.
Faculty
Monica Bharel, MD, MPH
Senior Advisor to the Mayor of Boston
As Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Dr. Monica Bharel served as the Commonwealth’s chief physician from 2015-2021. She helped lead the state’s aggressive response to the opioid crisis and is dedicated to reducing health disparities
and developing data-driven, evidence-based solutions for keeping people healthy. Most recently, Dr. Bharel led the Massachusetts public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As Commissioner, Dr. Bharel oversaw a public health workforce
of nearly 3000 and an expansive department addressing issues, from environmental health to injury prevention to infectious diseases. Under her leadership, Massachusetts ranked nationally as among the healthiest states in the nation.
Dr. Bharel
is a board-certified internist who has practiced general internal medicine for more than 20 years, including at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Medical Center, neighborhood health centers, the Veterans Administration and nonprofit organizations.
She has served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, Boston University Medical School, and Harvard School of Public Health, and has been recognized for her dedication to underserved and vulnerable populations. Prior to becoming Commissioner, she
was Chief Medical Officer of Boston Health Care for the Homeless.
She holds a Master of Public Health degree through the Commonwealth Fund/Harvard University Fellowship in Minority Health Policy. She holds a medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine and completed a residency and chief residency in internal
medicine at Boston City Hospital/Boston Medical Center.
Simone Wildes, MD, FACP, FIDSA
Infectious Disease Physician, South Shore Health,
Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, Tufts Medical Center
Chair, Massachusetts Medical Society Committee on Diversity in Medicine
Dr. Wildes is an infectious disease physician, public health expert, and ABC News medical contributor. She works at South Shore Health in Weymouth MA. Dr. Wildes is actively involved with the Massachusetts Medical Society as an executive board member,
chair of the Committee on Diversity, and vice chair of the Committee on Public Health. She is also a member of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health’s COVID-19 Health Equity advisory group.
Dr. Wildes earned her bachelor’s degree from
Barry University in Florida and her medical degree from the Loma Linda University School of Medicine in California. She completed her internship, residency and infectious disease fellowship at Hahnemann University Hospital and is currently a clinical
assistant professor of medicine at Tufts Medical Center. She is a member of the Infectious Disease Society of America and the American College of Physicians. She also volunteers at her local church in Boston as its health director and is involved
with Boston’s Faith-based Cancer Disparities Network.
Course Objectives
- Apply risk reduction strategies that may mitigate the effects of a public health crisis.
- Define how COVID-19, and other crises consistently and disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and what needs to be done to address the inequities in the system.
- Discuss the lessons learned and/or new positive changes that resulted from the crisis
Course Fees
Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) Physician Member: $40.00
MMS Resident/Student Member: Free
Non-Member Physician: $90.00
Non-Members Resident/Student: $20.00
Allied Health Professional/Other: $32.00
Format & Estimated Time to Complete: Video,
1 hour
Accreditation Statement
Accreditation and Credit Information
The Massachusetts Medical Society is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education
for physicians.
AMA Credit Designation Statement
The Massachusetts Medical Society designates this internet enduring material for a maximum of 1.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of
their participation in the activity.
This activity meets the criteria for the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine for risk management study.
Approval Statement
Through the American Board of Medical Specialties (“ABMS”) ongoing commitment to increase access to practice relevant Continuing Certification Activities through the ABMS Continuing Certification Directory, this activity has met the requirements as a Lifelong Learning CME Activity (apply toward general CME requirement) for the following ABMS Member Boards:
Allergy and Immunology
Anesthesiology
Colon and Rectal Surgery
Family Medicine
Medical Genetics and Genomics
Nuclear Medicine
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Plastic Surgery
Preventive Medicine
Psychiatry and Neurology
Radiology
Thoracic Surgery
Urology
National Commission on Certification of Physicians Assistant
(NCCPA)
Physician Assistants may claim a maximum of 1.00 Category 1 credit for completing this activity. NCCPA accepts AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ from organizations accredited by ACCME or a recognized state medical society.
Exam/Assessment: A score of 70% or higher is required to receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.
Activity Term
Original Release Date: December 20, 2021
Review Date (s): N/A
Termination Date: December 20, 2024
System Requirements
Desktops/Laptops
Windows 10
Mac OSX 10.6 higher
Most modern browsers including:
IE 11+
Firefox 18.0+
Chrome latest version
Safari 12+
Mobile/Tablet
iOS devices beginning with OS version 10 or higher (includes, iPhone, ipad and iTouch devices)
