The Southern California Physician, February, 2002

SBCMS Leaders Run for Top CMA Positions

SBCMS is highly pleased to announce that Drs. Ron Bangasser and Rebecca Patchin are in the running for top leadership positions at the California Medical Association. Dr. Bangasser is unopposed for CMA President-Elect, and Dr. Patchin is opposed in the election for Vice Speaker of the CMA House of Delegates by San Diego Medical Association President Dr. James Hay. Balloting will take place during the CMA's House of Delegates annual meeting February 22-26 at the Hilton Hotel, Anaheim.

For over 25 years Dr. Ron Bangasser has been a key figure in our medical associations and in our community. He is Speaker of the House of Delegates and a member of the CMA Executive Committee. Over the years he has served on numerous CMA councils and committees. Ron is an AMA Delegate, a member of the AMA Council on Medical Services and was recently appointed to AMA's Quality Committee for NCQA. For four years he chaired the California Delegation to the AMA.

Ron has served on the SBCMS Board of Directors since 1977, as president in 1991-92. In 1995 he received the SBCMS Outstanding Physician Award. He led SBCMS' efforts to raise awareness of the problem of domestic violence through the Domestic Violence Awareness Event for San Bernardino and Riverside county physicians and attorneys. He raised $18,000 from various sponsors to pay for all expenses of the program.

A Family Practitioner, Dr. Bangasser is Director of External Affairs of the Beaver Medical Group in Redlands and director of the Wound Care clinic at Redlands Community Hospital. Ron has been the sports physician for San Bernardino Valley College for 22 years and in 1999, received the college's Distinguished Service Award. He has worked diligently for the local United Way, "Just for You Volunteers," an organization to aid senior citizens in Yucaipa; the San Bernardino YMCA, the Redlands Community Hospital Foundation, and San Bernardino Valley College.

Dr. Rebecca Patchin is a Riverside anesthesiologist and member of SBCMS and the Riverside County Medical Society. She initially joined SBCMS in 1986 as a medical student where she organized Loma Linda University's Medical Student Outreach Program and recruited over 200 AMA, CMA and SBCMS members. She went on to win the student seat on the AMA Board of Trustees.

Rebecca has served the CMA in key positions. She was on the CMA Board of Trustees from 1991 to 1993; she was chair of the CMA Committee on Health Professions and Licensure for three years and President of the California House Officer Medical Society from 1993 to 1995.

Rebecca currently chairs CMA's Council on Legislation. She is also Vice Chair of the Legislative and Practice Affairs Division of the California Society of Anesthesiologists. In addition, Rebecca serves as the Secretary-Treasurer of the Riverside County Medical Association, as well as representing RCMA as a Delegate. She now chairs the AMA Council on Medical Education.

SBCMS is proud of its tradition of leadership. The late Dr. Nicholas Krikes served as CMA President in 1978-79. Like Dr. Krikes, both Dr. Bangasser and Dr. Patchin have a long history of dedication to the values of organized medicine. Physicians practicing in the Inland Empire and throughout the state can be assured that their voices will be heard in the CMA House of Delegates.

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