Presidents Message
President’s Message
December 9, 2017
Dear Honorable guests, members, colleagues and friends:
Welcome to our Society’s 14th Annual Gala.
Congratulations to this year honorees! I really appreciate their dedication, commitment & support to the Society. I sincerely thank from the bottom of my heart to tonight attendees, sponsors, supporters and volunteers this successful Gala.
I would like to thank Ambassador U Hau Do Suan, and his wife Daw Nwe Nwe Aye, Deputy Permanent Representative, Daw Hmway Hmway Khyne, all counsellors, officers and staff members, Brooklyn Borough President, Eric Adams, Brooklyn Borough DA, Eric Gonzalez, their staff members, faculty members from Brooklyn Hospital, Methodist Hospital, Woodhall Hospital, Wyckoff Hospital, Interfaith Hospital for their presence at our Gala.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Board of Trustees, Board of Directors, Executive Council, members, families and friends for their tireless efforts, commitments, supports and contributions to our organization. There have been many milestones for the Society and this year is also no exception for another milestone. We successfully formed “Coalition of International Myanmar Medical Organizations” (CIMMO) this year to promote innovations in medical education and quality healthcare in Myanmar.
To fulfill one of our missions, we donated $10,000.00 to provide humanitarian support, for displaced Myanmar citizens in Rakhine State. MAMES members also participated in Community Good Health Day by Tzu Chi Foundation. We also have successful and productive all year-round programs because of our team, members, volunteers, speakers, sponsors, supporters, families and friends. I sincerely thank to you all for the success of the Society. My special thank goes to Dr. Jonathan Chang, as a champion in fundraising and his family for supporting MAMES, all young doctors who practiced to perform this evening entertainment programs. I wish them for the success in their careers.
I would like to invite all of you to join us in Global Reunion for Myanmar Medical & Dental Professionals on August 19, 2018.
Finally, I would like to thank my current team, Executive Council Members for their commitment, support and contributions to the Society. Because of you, there is a success of the Society!!!
Enjoy this evening and Wish you all for Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!!
Myat Myat Mon, MD, FACS
President, MAMES (2017-2018)
President’s Message
December 03, 2016
Dear Distinguished Guests, Colleagues, Friends and Families:
Tonight is our Myanmar American Medical Education Society’s (MAMES) Thirteenth Annual Gala, I would like to welcome everyone. We are also honored to have his Excellency, Permanent Representative/ Ambassador U Hau Do Suan & his wife Daw Nwe Nwe Aye, Daw Ei Ei Khin Aye, Deputy Permanent Representative/Ambassador, all the officers and staffs from Permanent Mission of the Republic of the union of Myanmar to United Nations and Brooklyn Borough President, Mr. Eric Adams. I want to thank you for your presence and coming together to congratulate all the honorees for their support and contribution to our society and Myanmar community.
It is a privilege to serve as the first female president of the society. I was not born to be a leader of this society. I thank to my Board of Directors, Executive Councils and members for entrusting and giving me a great opportunity to lead the society. During my presidency, I have learned a lot and gained many experiences as a leader. I would like to encourage all our members to participate actively in the society and play a leadership role in the near future. The Society needs you! We need you!
This year, we had an opportunity to meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, our first female leader, State Counsellor, Foreign Minister and Nobel Peace Laureate. She welcomes the physicians from abroad to come back to Myanmar, help to rebuild better healthcare for the Myanmar people and educate medical students and physicians. Myanmar is especially in need of hematologists, oncologists and radiation oncologists. One of the society’s missions is Myanmar Medical Mission which has 3 components: 1) to donate latest edition of medical text books and medical instruments to medical schools and hospitals, 2) to provide health education to general practitioners and 3) to enhance rural outreach program where physicians go to remote parts of Myanmar to provide medical and surgical cares and health education. We will improve this Myanmar Medical Mission with the support from Myanmar Embassy, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and other organizations like Myanmar Multispecialty Physicians Global Alliance (MMPGA) and other Myanmar Medical Societies across the United States.
I would like to highlight some of the new programs and accomplishments in 2016. Our society is growing fast from 700 active members in 2015 to about 900 active members in 2016. This year, we successfully initiated the outreach program for Myanmar community beyond New York by conducting Myanmar Community health fairs in Maryland and Albany. In addition to providing basic health screening and health education by several volunteer physicians, Dr. Mary Lee Wong, an allergist and immunologist and the President-Elect of CAMS joined our community health fair to educate Myanmar community regarding allergy and asthma. She demonstrated how to use an Epipen and checked peak flow for the asthma patients. She is here with us as one of the honorees tonight. For the benefit of our members, in the near future, we will have an “ask the attorney section” on our website, free of charge to our members from Kern and Augustine, PC law firm who will also provide free CME credits for our scientific meeting. MAMES members will have membership discount rate to join Medical Society of New York and Medical Society County of Kings. We raised fund to support Myanmar flood and rebuild an elementary school in Pwint Phyu township, Magway.
A great deal of work is still yet to be done. Although my term as a president of the society is up, I will take a role of a Chairwoman of Board of directors to continue to support the society. I am very proud to pass the torch to my successor, the President-Elect, Dr. Myat Myat Mon and her team to carry on the missions of the society. I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation to our supporters. Your contribution and commitment to our society made this evening beautiful and successful.
“If you are feeling helpless, help someone” (by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Laureate in 1991)
Wish you all the best, happy holidays and prosperous New Year!
Sincerely,
San San Wynn, MD,
President (2015-2016)
President's Message
December 5, 2015
Welcome to our Myanmar American Medical Education Society’s (MAMES) Twelfth Annual Gala!
Thank you for joining me to congratulate all the honorees for their achievement and support to our society and Myanmar community.
It is a great honor and privilege to be the sixth and first female president of the society. I would like to thank my Board of Directors, Executive Councils and members for their confidence in me to lead the society for 2 years. This year is a very special year for the society, because the society has its first female president and I am flanked by two iron ladies as my vice president, Dr Myat Myat Mon and my secretary, Dr Aye Moe Thu Ma,. Both happen to be surgeons. When I was elected as president, my immediate predecessor, Dr Myat San asked me “what is my mission and vision for the society?”
Well, my mission is the society’s mission “To Benefit Humanity in Myanmar Community, To Promote the Culture and Exchange of Scientific Information in Myanmar Medical Community and To Provide Information and Support for the Medical Education of Myanmar Physicians in US and Abroad”. We are fulfilling this mission every day since the society was founded in 2002 by a small group of Myanmar American Physicians.
My vision is “To promote the society to national level, to network with other medical societies, organizations and hospitals, to recruit our future leaders, young generation to the society, to get membership benefit, to unite with all other Myanmar Medical Societies in United States to create Federated Myanmar Medical Society, to develop practice management and business opportunity for practicing physicians and newly graduates and to buy a building for library and resource center for Myanmar Community”.
I would like to highlight the new programs and achievement in 2015. We have added rural outreach program in which physicians travel to remote part of Myanmar, provide medical care and health education, to Myanmar medical mission. We provided free dental screening, by Dr Maung Myat Kyaw, in our community health fair. We have Kirschenbaum & Kirschenbaum PC as legal counsel which will give free consultation for the members of the society. I am working with National Medical Society of New York to get membership discount for MAMES members and with international medical graduates (IMG) section of MSSNY to benefit Myanmar medical graduates.
As a leader of the society, I have responsibilities to pave the road for the brighter future of the society. To accomplish this task, I cannot do it alone, I need all the support from my colleagues, friends, families, other societies and organizations, but the most valuable and strongest supporter is ‘YOU”. Without your generous and continuous support, we would not have this beautiful evening together.
I believe “R_I_S_I_N_G_ _T_I_D_E_ _L_I_F_T_S_ _A_L_L_ _B_O_A_T_S_” _and “T_E_A_M_ _W_O_R_K_!_”_
Wish you all the best, happy holidays and prosperous New Year!
San San Wynn, MD
President (2015-2016), MAMES
President's Message
December 6, 2014
Welcome! We are grateful that you have joined us to celebrate the 11th Anniversary MAMES Gala.
For some of you, this evening’s gathering represents an opportunity to reunite and network with friends and colleagues. For others, you are here tonight to recognize the achievements of the 2014 awards recipients and for others, the Gala represents an opportunity to support a worthy cause.
In this gala, as we gather to pay tribute to the outstanding physicians who have performed beyond the call of duty, we are also helping with fundraising towards the much needed Education Resources Center.
The center will enable the young generation of caring physicians who are trying to establish in the US to be more efficient, comprehensive and compassionate providers in the future for all our benefit.
In addition to long term project like this, we have successfully initiated several programs over the years such as: Myanmar New Year and Thingyan Celebration, Welcome and Graduation event for residents and fellows, Annual Scientific Meeting, Guidance of residency, Mock Interview, Medical Mission which includes Donation of Medical Text books, Journals and Equipments to Medical Schools, Hospitals in Myanmar and also Education Programs to the Physicians and the Public. This year we successfully modified a Community Health Fair and Public Education Event in Queens with the aim of reaching out to the community by providing access to healthcare and health education. I feel honored to represent such a talented group of members as those who comprise our society.
Throughout these initiates, one thing that remains constant is our mission to provide a continuous care to our community with respect, compassion, diligence, and excellence.
I am inspired by the work of MAMES and by the knowledge that through the accomplishments of their competent members, the organization will continue to make our city an inspiring place to live and work for a long time to come. Obviously, this is not the effort of one individual, but it is the collective participation of board of directors, executive members, members of MAMES, families, friends, acquaintances, volunteers, even with non Myanmar supporters, and organizations. Together we have accomplished so much and continuing to go forward with your support. Your support in many ways is vital to the continuation and expansion of these important works.
What’s more, your presence this evening also demonstrates to our society that MAMES is alive and will continue breathing for years to come.
I and MAMES thank you for being here with us on this very important and special occasion.
To the new executive team, thank you for working passionately towards improving the quality of services to the community with me for the past two years. Best wishes for continued success in the future.
Happy Holidays!
Myat San, MD
President, MAMES (2013-2014)
President's Message
December 07, 2013
Dear all our distinguished guests, colleagues, friends and families,
Welcome to the 10th Anniversary of the MAMES.
I wish to extend personal congratulations to this year’s Honorees.
This vision started with a small group of Myanmar Physicians to now having many members actively participating community based activities. Not only are the member numbers increasing, but the organization functions and activities have grown to a level that we could have never dreamed of. We are now aiming to form the federation of Myanmar Medical Society. Obviously, this is not the effort of one individual, but it is the collective participation of many physicians, family members, friends, acquaintances and volunteers even with non Myanmar Supporters, together we have accomplished so much and are continuing to go forward with your support.
During this journey, we have been faced with many challenges and there are also several more ahead of us, as we navigate these turbulent waters. As a group, we are determined to stand, salute the individual physicians for their ideas, efforts, contributions and support, whichever fields they are talented in, for example in fund raising, entertaining, organizing, publishing, planning and so on. Although the momentum of the organization is continuing to grow, we all know that we still have a long way to go. We need more members, more contributions and ideas to do functions for our MAMES. I would like to welcome all of you to participate in this effort. The more active members we have, the more ideas we can get to allow us to move forward to achieve our goals. I am proud to say that we are a group with the knowledge that this is not for personal gain or popularity but it is for our society and for the next generations to come. This year’s theme is to raise funds for the much- needed Educational Resources Center.
As we pause to reflect on the accomplishments of the Honorees, it is with great pride that we celebrate this evening and thank you for sharing this memorial occasion with MAMES.
Best wishes for happy holidays and healthy New Year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Myat San
President, MAMES (2013 - 2014)
President's Message
December 08, 2012
Dear all our distinguished guests, colleagues, friends and families,
I would like to welcome all of you to the Ninth Annual Gala of the Myanmar American Medical Education Society. I would also like to congratulate all honorees for their achievements and support to our Society and community. It is with great enthusiasm and pleasure that I am here today with all of you - just three weeks following a historic trip by President Barack Obama, the first serving U.S. president to ever visit Myanmar. President Obama called his visit “an acknowledgement of the progress underway in Myanmar that even two years ago, nobody foresaw.” Just as one of the goals of that trip was to highlight the progress that has been made and give encouragement to the much greater progress that needs to be made in pursuing democracy in Myanmar, I am equally pleased and dedicated to the development and progress that’s being made here, in our society.
Since our first gala in 2004, your energetic and passionate support, hard work, and determination have assisted us to provide education and humanitarian work, as well as to benefit humanity and culture in the Myanmar Community. Through the Myanmar Medical Mission as we have been doing for four years, this year we provided Medical Educational Conference "Updates in Medical Science” and donated Medical Text Books to Medical Schools in Myanmar. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight the achievements that have been made just this past year. Thanks to our partnership and collaboration with CAIPA, we have successfully created the Observership Program which helps our MAMES associate members to obtain clinical experiences in United States, become familiar with the US Medical system, and prepare for upcoming Residency training.
In June 2012, we launched our first Welcome and Graduation Reception for our incoming and outgoing residents and fellows. I am proud to say it was a Hugh Success. The Annual Scientific Meeting this past July was also successful. I would like to thank all speakers, attendees, volunteers and CAMS/CAIPA and other supporters for making the meeting a spectacular success.
I am especially grateful to Dr. Robert Cucco, Dr. Mark Adler and The Brooklyn Hospital Center for helping our Society accomplish its mission of providing medical education to our members. It is worth mentioning that we have continued our Residency Guidance and Mock Interview Programs which have greatly supported our dedicated associate members who are pursuing medical education in the United States.
In terms of community outreach, the health fair held in August was a thriving event. We provided screening and information for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hepatitis B, and mammograms. My heart-felt thanks to all the volunteer physicians, the American Cancer Society and Project Renewal (ScanVan Program) for their enthusiasm and kindness. We remain equally committed to our future education projects and initiatives: building a Medical Library, Scientific Conference Room, and a Medical Community Center in New York.
I have to give a special thanks to those who have worked tirelessly to ensure our Society’s success in many areas, especially our Executive Council Officers and Committees. It is because of your support and commitment, that we are able to accomplish our goals and mission. Your enthusiasm and continued involvement in our Society underscores the importance of a community working together for the betterment of our community and society in general. I ask you to join me in congratulating and welcoming our newly elected incoming president, Dr. Myat San and his team. I am more hopeful than ever that our Society will fulfill its objectives in making our future ambitions a reality. Our Society’s vision includes improving the healthcare system and medical education in our motherland, Myanmar.
Thank you all again for making our achievements possible. I hope to maintain this vision and invite all of you to share in our Society’s mission and vision of success for generations to come.
Best wishes, happy holidays, and a happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jonathan MT Chang
President, MAMES (2011 - 2012)
President's Message
December 10, 2011
Dear honorable guests, colleagues, friends and families,
I would like to welcome all of you to the Myanmar American Medical Education Society’s Eighth Annual Gala. I would also like to congratulate all the honorees for their achievements and support to our Society and community.
Eight years have passed since our first gala in 2004. During this period, your energetic and passionate support, hard work, and determination have helped us provide education and humanitarian work, and also in maintaining our culture. Thank you all so much for your generosity and support to Our Society.
This year’s achievements were especially remarkable. Through the Myanmar Medical Mission, we provided Medical Education Programs, donated text books to medical schools, and provided funding for patients in medical oncology service in Myanmar. In another humanitarian mission, we also fund-raised for the JMSA to provide Tsunami relief in Japan. To promote our culture, we hosted the Myanmar New Year’s Party in April—it was a full house, packed with members, families, and friends.
The Annual Scientific Meeting in July was also very successful, and it helped us achieve our organization's mission to provide education. I would like to thank all the speakers, attendees, volunteers, and CAMS/CAIPA and other supporters for making the scientific meeting a spectacular success.
Additionally, our residency guidance and mock interview programs greatly supported our dedicated associate members who are pursuing medical education in United States. On behalf of MAMES, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for good services provided by our Secretary Dr. Zaw Min Oo, Education Committee Chair Dr. Linus Yoe, Advisory Committee Chair Dr. Myat Myat Mon and other Renowned Speakers and Interviewers for making all these special programs successful. I also appreciated ACAP for allowing our members to participate in their mock interview event.
In terms of community outreach, the health fair held in October was a thriving event. We provided screening and information for obesity, diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hepatitis B, and mammograms. My heart-felt thanks to all of the volunteer physicians, the American Cancer Society, and Project Renewal (Scanvan Program) for their enthusiasm and kindness!
2011 was a great year, and 2012 will be another even more exciting year ahead.
Just to give you a preview, our first education project will be to build a library, conference and lecture hall. In June 2012, we will also launch our first Welcome and Graduation Reception for our incoming and outgoing residents and fellows.
Lastly, we will create an Observership Program in the hospitals for Foreign Medical Graduates to familiarize and prepare them for upcoming residency and medical systems in US.
Thank you all again for making our achievements possible.
I appreciated all our MAMES Board of Directors, Executive Councils, Sub- Committees and Volunteers for their commitment and dedication to our Society. I hope to see your continued support and the continued success of our society for generations to come!
Best wishes, happy holidays, and a happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Dr. Jonathan Chang
President 2011-2012
President's Message
December 18, 2010
Dear Colleagues, Honorable guests, friends and family members,
On behalf of the Myanmar American Medical Education Society, I would like to extend a warm welcome to all who are attending our Seventh Annual Gala. At the same time I would like to thank all of you for your generous support and sponsoring in tonight’s gala. I would also like to invite all of you to join me to congratulate all the honorees and witness their achievement and their devotion and support to our Society and community.
During the last two years, our Society’s achievement was noteworthy. Our membership has been growing. These were the two explosive years of our growth. We are gaining momentum and today our society is the most active organization among the Myanmar American Physicians organizations.
We have started our MAMES forum that has become an effective platform for free and easy communication among our members. The forum was well received and has been active. We are trying to create our new web site http://.mamesociety.org and will be launched in next year. Through our new web site we will be able to expand communication among our members, and extend our services.
In addition to our residency guidance, we have added mock interview events so that our young aspiring physicians can prepare ahead of the interview season for the residency. As we all know, getting into the residency is the most important step to obtain American medical education and training. We will continue to help them to get into the residency, and support them not only during their residency but also after residency when they are looking for attending physician jobs.
At the same time, we are also developing practice management and business opportunities for our physician. We will continue to commit ourselves in creating practice opportunities for our physicians. With concerted efforts, I strongly believe that we can get to the next higher level of practice management.
We have also been able to carry out successfully our core activities, such as Myanmar Medical Mission to our motherland in January, Myanmar New Year Celebration in April, Scientific Meeting in July, Community Health Fair, and guidance for residency and fellowship in August. All these events were well accepted by the community.
Our Myanmar Medical Mission to our motherland in January every year has become our tradition. This mission has helped strengthen our bond with our medical colleagues in our motherland. We have provided helpful books and other necessary teaching aids and equipments to our beloved Myanmar medical schools and hospitals. We have also held educational seminars and gave lectures to our counterparts in Myanmar. They were well received. We have also maintained the Nargis cyclone fund to pay educational expenses for the orphans in the cyclone affected areas.
Tonight, we will raise the needed fund to build a new oxygen plant for the Yangon Children Hospital. We need your generous support to carry out this important project. I sincerely hope that your pure heart will connect with that of the children in Yangon.
We have been outreaching to various organizations and establishing mutual good relationship. We can now work together with them in expanding our various activities. All these programs are made possible by our executive committee members and strong willed volunteers. We will continue our missions of providing medical education to our Myanmar physicians, promoting our culture, and participating in the humanitarian activities.
I am confident that incoming President Dr. Jonathan Chang and new EC members will be able to lead our Society to the next higher level. I am also confident that all of you will continue your full support in carrying out our missions successfully.
Wishing you Happy Holidays and prosperous New Year to come.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joseph Yoe
President 2009-2010