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AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY NAMES NEW OFFICERS AT ITS MAY 2002 ANNUAL SCIENTIFIC MEETING IN WASHINGTON, DC

New York, NY-Jerry Johnson, MD, will assume the role of President of the American Geriatrics Society and Richard Besdine, MD, has been voted President-Elect.

Dr. Johnson is interim chief of the geriatric medicine division and associate director for health services and education programs at the University of Pennsylvania's Institute on Aging. Dr. Besdine is professor of medicine and geriatric medicine, director of the division of geriatrics, and director of the Center for Gerontology and Health Care Research at Brown University. Dr. Johnson replaces Kenneth Brummel-Smith, MD, the current medical director of the PACE Elderplace program, Bain Chair at the Providence Center on Aging and professor of family medicine at the Oregon Health Sciences University. As dictated by AGS bylaws, Dr. Brummel-Smith will serve as Chair for 2002-2003.

The AGS Board of Directors has elected David Reuben, MD, to the position of Secretary. He is professor of medicine, director of the multi-campus program in geriatric medicine and gerontology, chief of the geriatrics division and co-director of the Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center at the UCLA School of Medicine and Center for Health Sciences and Medical Center. The board has also elected Meghan Gerety, MD, to another term as Treasurer. Dr. Gerety is associate chief of staff and service line manager of geriatrics and extended care at South Texas Veterans Health Care System and a professor of medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Founded in 1942, the American Geriatrics Society (AGS) is a nationwide, not-for-profit association of geriatrics health care professionals dedicated to improving the health, independence and quality of life of all older people. The society supports this mission in many ways through activities in: clinical practice; professional education on the clinical care of older people; research; public education and information; public policy efforts; and by collaborative relationships with other organizations.