Guest of honor at the AAPI luncheon, Florida Department of Health Secretary Dr. John Agwunobi, speaking on soaring malpractice insurance rates, at the 21st Annual Convention of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) in Orlanda, Florida. Seen in the photo, from left, are Dr. R. Puri; Dr. Agwunobi; Dr. Kiran Patel, outgoing AAPI president; and Dr. Sharad Lakhanpal, incoming president. (Photo: Mohammed Jaffer/SnapsIndia)

More than 3,800 physicians and their families as well as exhibitors got together in Orlando, Florida, June 19-22, for the 21st Annual Convention of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) to mull over outstanding problems facing the medical profession, network and meet old friends, brush

up on latest developments in the industry and medicine, enjoy a feast of

Bollywood performers and listen to promises of political leaders that the doldrums facing this profession would soon be lifted.

The national issue of soaring costs of malpractice insurance premiums dominated speeches given by public figures. Florida Governor Jeb Bush promised he would “never give up” efforts to get the legislature to put caps on compensation and control premiums in his worst-hit state. Other senior officials in his administration echoed the concerns.

But there was much else happening. Young physicians discussed ways to make a bigger impact on the parent body. Women physicians celebrated the large numbers of panels and issues they were able to corner after years of trying to make their mark in AAPI.

And Continuing Medical Education classes went on daily, along with discussions on Yoga, Ayurveda, and other alternative streams of medicine.

Physicians promised to do more philanthropic work in India, includingng the first trauma and emergency medicine centers, and to get the youth involved.

Several attendees said this was one of the most diverse conventions they had attended catering to varied interests and tastes of physicians and their families.