AGS is a place where I've developed great relationships with wonderful colleagues.  – John Murphy, MD

There are many reasons why I'm a member of the AGS. I joined the organization 24 years ago and in terms of what it's meant for my career, it's been a place where I've developed great relationships with wonderful colleagues.

Among other things, these relationships have helped me maintain my passion for caring for older people, particularly at times when that's been difficult. Our current healthcare system creates many challenges for our field; financing has and continues to be a problem. But the relationships I've developed with colleagues have helped me stay passionate about caring for older adults - despite the low points we've had to deal with as a specialty.

AGS has also been a place where I've found many helpful resources, including educational products like Geriatrics at Your Fingertips and the Geriatrics Review Syllabus. The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society is also a tremendous resource -- it's grown with the specialty and reflects how much we've grown our evidence base for what we do."

I've also enjoyed working with colleagues on some of these products -- I've either been an editor or a member of the editorial board for all but the first of the six editions of the Geriatrics Review Syllabus. And I've enjoyed being involved in leadership in the AGS. I've been a member of the Education and Professional Education Executive committees, have been on the Board of Directors since 2003, and was Treasurer prior to becoming President in May. In these leadership roles, I've also enjoyed working with the AGS staff, which is very professional and responsive.

These are just a few of the reasons I'm an AGS member.

John B. Murphy, AGS Past President, Professor of medicine and family medicine at Brown University's Warren Alpert Medical School and Chief Physician Officer at Rhode Island Hospital, Barrington, Rhode Island.