When I turned 40 a few months ago, I became nostalgic for the decades behind me. First, the awkward teenage years of being a high school nerd. Next, the 20s when my “nerdiness” was rewarded with a medical education. Finally, in my 30s, the education I received grew into a medical career in Spokane. I was blessed to join a medical community marked by excellence and superior skill. Though each of our paths to Spokane is different, we all share a commitment to medicine in this city and the surrounding region.

Founded in 1885, the Spokane County Medical Society has seen many decades. Through the foundation the society has established, the growth and expertise of healthcare in Spokane has blossomed. The last decade brought many changes to the SCMS. I would like to thank the Board members and our most recent presidents, including Dr. Deb Wiser, for their leadership to help organize and direct our path. The path ahead is lit by our four pillars: Collegiality, Medical Education, Advocacy, and Community Service.

An important figure from the first decade of my life, Fred Rogers, said, “You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are.” These words may resonate differently for each of us. As individuals, we are mothers, fathers, husbands, wives, sons or daughters. We are also physicians in solo practice, large group practices, in hospital teams, and/or physician administrators. Individually we have similar struggles with time, whether at home or at work, but collectively as a group we are the leaders of healthcare in Spokane.

In order to lead, we must become organized. Currently we are scattered under the roofs and within the walls that we work. These buildings protect us, but also separate us from other colleagues with similar plights or goals in excellence of healthcare in this community. 

The SCMS can help us get organized under the umbrella of our goal to lead the delivery of medicine in this community.In the pages ahead you will see how the SCMS is working towards strengthening the four pillars that hold up our medical society. In the months, years, and decade ahead of us I encourage you to be an active part of the SCMS to strengthen ourselves so that we may continue to improve medical education in the region, advocate for ourselves and our patients, and serve the patients in our community. 

Stephen Pakkianathan, MD  |  2020 SCMS President