Russian American Medical Association

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The Russian American Medical Association (RAMA) is a non-profit organization of Russian American physicians founded in 2002 with a mission to facilitate and enable Russian American physicians and health care professionals to excel in patient care, teaching and research, and to pursue their aspirations in professional, humanitarian and community affairs.

RAMA is not a political organization but does participate in legislative and political processes such as testifying in front of Congress to inform Congress about the status of the Russian health care system and Russian physicians. RAMA works through regional chapters, which aim to be independent in their activity and decision-making. Each chapter's President or representative becomes a member of the Council of States and helps to coordinate the association's work.

It holds regular annual meetings, often in conjunction with other groups, such as Russian-American Dental Association (RADA) and publishes a journal.

RAMA is the largest association of Russian professionals outside of Russia, irrespective of the specialty. There are 400 full members from 40 states of the United States, and Canada, Russia, Germany, Israel, Estonia and South Africa. The database of the Association includes more than 5,000 Russian-speaking physicians and other medical professionals.

RAMA was founded in 2002 by Dr. Boris Vinogradsky (now from Cleveland, Ohio, USA) as a coalition of several independent groups of doctors and now has organized chapters in Massachusetts, Ohio, Indiana, Minnesota, Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia, the Student Chapter and the Canada Group. It is working with groups of physicians in New York, Chicago, St. Louis, St. Paul, San Francisco and Los Angeles to form new chapters.

[edit] RAMA programs

The Help Initiative — Charitable Foundation: The goal of the Foundation is to provide humanitarian help to patients in the United States and Russia, with emphasis on illnesses that are not treatable in Russia and specifically children. Vladimir Bogin, MD from Longview, WA is a head of this Program. As a part of the Charitable Foundation — Medical Missions Program will provide assistance in organization of educational and clinical missions to Russia for RAMA members, groups and partners. Recent developments include the [RAMA Cancer Project - Faces of Hope] - http://borisvino.googlepages.com/facesofhope and the [Siberian Pediatric Heart Project (SPHP)] - http://borisvino.googlepages.com/home.

Partnership Program: The goal of the program is to coordinate efforts of multiple medical and non-medical groups that work with Russia.

RAMA Research Collaboration Project: http://www.russiandoctors.org/science

Scholarship Program: The goal of this program is to allow the best medical students; young doctors and medical researchers from Russia visit the United States and learn the American medical system. Nikolay Vasilyev, MD (Cleveland, OH) is a head of this program. First two medical students — winners of the Russian National Scientific Contest were scheduled to arrive to the USA for one-month fellowship in the summer of 2005, but for administrative and political reasons this did not happen. We will continue to work on this project.

Observership Program: The purpose of this program is to let those Russian doctors, that immigrated to the United States and passed their USMLE exams get clinical experience of an American hospital, in preparation for the residency training.

Heart Health Awareness in Russians Project: This pilot program is being developed and will provide health information and medical education to the Russian immigrant population. The Phase I of the project will focus on the issues of the heart disease.

RAMA Discussion Forum: This is the largest Russian medical discussion group in America. Most questions of the certification process, residency and private practice issues, as well as the areas of all levels of the American health care system are discussed in detail there.

Russian-speaking Physicians Database: RAMA maintains the database of the Russian-speaking physicians in North America that is used for referrals and benefits both — physicians and patients across the country

RAMA Journal: The second issue was published on time for the 3rd National Conference in Washington, DC and includes information about RAMA as well as scientific articles of RAMA members. There are two publications a year — the Journal and the National Conference Proceedings. The Journal is prepared by a large group of people and Nikolay Vasilyev, MD is coordinating this work.

Other programs: (at different stages of development) Credentials Verification Service, Job Search Assistance Program, Translators Bureau, Speakers Bureau, Advertising Service