Letter From The President

Each time I leave one of the EFF Scientific meetings where I have a chance to meet and spend time with groups of endocrine fellows I feel energized by the experience. This past weekend (January 31st.) was no exception when the EFF and The ADA presented a Scientific Forum prior to the ADA's Post Graduate Course in San Francisco. The faculty was superb and the formal lectures coupled with workshops were outstanding with excellent interaction between the speakers and the attendees. Once again each faculty member told me how much they enjoyed talking with fellows from different programs around the country and asked to be invited again. It points out to me how much senior physicians recognize the importance of what the Endocrine Fellows Foundations' programs are doing and how much your questions and interest excites them. It also confirms that the time, thought, and energy given by the EFF Board and staff is justified.

I clearly remember when there was no Endocrine Fellows Foundation and no attention was given to all of you, the future thought leaders, care givers, researchers, and educators. As a result of the EFF activities other organizations have begun creating new opportunities for endocrine fellows. I am pleased that you all will be able to have more programs that will help you as you move forward with you careers.The Endocrine Fellows Foundation will continue to satisfy the unmet needs of fellows and we look to you to let us know new areas in which the Endocrine Fellows Foundation can be helpful to you and future fellows.

For the past 9 1/2 years every fellow, who has participated in the EFF activities, has come to know Marilyn Fishman, the Endocrine Fellows Foundations Executive Director. She has been called the "mother of endocrine Fellows" because she has been a central figure in the lives of every endocrine fellow with whom she has come in contact. From arranging every aspect of the Scientific meetings to helping with applications for research and preceptorship grants, facilitating the publication of this newsletter, the web site, coordinating grant reviewers, and making travel and hotel arrangements for fellows, guest faculty, and the Board, and much more, Marilyn has been the fulcrum of the organization.

At the October Board meeting she announced that she will be retiring by July 1st of this year. There will be a significant void in the EFF when she leaves. Her imprint will be with us as long as there is an Endocrine Fellows Foundation. Marilyn's dedication, loyalty, integrity, and sincerity of purpose is recognized by whomever she comes in contact. Members of the pharmaceutical industry, who have been so generous in helping the Endocrine FellowsFoundation fulfill its' mission have been engaged because of Marilyn's personality, passion, positive energy, and yes, persistence.

We will miss her, you certainly will miss her, and we wish her well in her new life in retirement, which I know will be filled with challenges that will be made better by her presence.