Hello Alliance members. This is the August President’s Update and I’m Audrie Tornow.  If you’re seeing fresh notebooks and sharpened pencils on store shelves, that’s because the start of another school year is upon us.

📸While some of our members are taking first day of school photos, take a look through your photo albums and share snapshots with us to help celebrate the Alliance’s 50-year anniversary. 

📅Thursday, Aug. 28 is a doubleheader.

1. First it’s the deadline for Alliance competitive and recognition award submissions.
2. Second, it’s the August Virtual Membership Town Hall. This is exclusive to Alliance members, but pre-registration is required.

📋Sunday, Aug. 31 ends the registration window for the September CHCP Exam. 

🫱🏻‍🫲🏽And this is my last reminder about AIS taking place Sept. 8-10 in Philadelphia. I’m looking forward to our Best in Class Awards, the morning run/walk, keynote workshop presented by the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science and second annual CMEpalooza Trivia Night. 

It’s time to reenter our countdown to 2026, starting with the final year in the 1900s.

In 1999:

• I entered the field as a meeting coordinator at a small medical education company in New Jersey.
• US Graduate Medical Education enrollment rose, with 606 more resident physicians compared to the previous school year.
• Many of us waited to see if the Y2K bug would wreak havoc.

In 2000:

• "To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System" was published by the Institute of Medicine.
• N-SYNC released their album No Strings Attached.

In 2001:

• We witnessed the devastation of the Sept. 11 attacks.
• The Institute of Medicine published "Crossing the Quality Chasm" sparking conversations about the American healthcare system.

And in 2002:

• General Hospital aired its 10,000 episode.
• And Kelly Clarkson won the first season of American Idol.

Finally, congratulations to Alana Brody and Andrew Crim. In 2026, they will become the Alliance Board secretary-elect and vice president. I hope you enjoy the last sips of summer and brilliant sunsets. 🏖️

And I look forward to seeing many of you soon. Bye, Bye, Bye.