Governance
General
The Academy works
within the WMS in a subordinate, mutually supportive, and
synergistic fashion. As the umbrella organization, The Society
provides governance and issues strategic guidance for the
Academy. The EXCOM reviews the activities and policies of
the Academy on an ongoing basis. They ensure that consistency
is maintained with WMS strategic plans, that goals of the
marketing plan are being met, and that overall solvency
and operation of the Society are not being adversely impacted.
Responsibilities
Responsibility
for establishment and governance of the Academy lies with
the Executive Committee (EXCOM) and Board of Directors (BOD)
of the WMS. The EXCOM appoints a Director and approves up
to two Assistant Directors who have been nominated by the
director, members of the EXCOM, or BOD. These are regular
Society members in good standing from any recognized medical
academic discipline. The selection process will consider
Society members with formal training and/or experience in
the application of principles of adult education, curriculum
development, program planning and evaluation, fundamental
knowledge of and facility with modern computer technology,
software and internet applications, experience in clinical
investigation and the application of evidence-based medicine.
Most important is the requirement that Academy leaders be
motivated to produce the highest quality product possible.
The willingness and commitment to share the workload among
other members of the Academy is not negotiable.
Specified
Tasks
Academy
Director
•
Prepare, revise, and present for approval the Academy
charter document.
• Review, revise, and present for approval Academy
policies, plans, and fees as required including
marketing and advertising.
• Review and revise Academy academic and registry
standards as required.
• Review and approve applicants for registry participation
including requests for retroactive review.
• Review and approve academic credit from affiliated
non-WMS organizations.
• Review and approve requests for reinstatement.
• Review, consider, and prepare appeals for review
by the ECXOM and higher.
Academy
Assistant Director
•
Act on behalf of the Academy Director as required.
• Establish and maintain standardization of academic
materials (syllabus, presentations, test bank).
• Maintain the Academy web site and applicable modules
by interfacing with the WMS Executive
Director and the WMS web site manager.
WMS Executive
Director and Home Office Staff
•
Conduct day-to-day administrative support tasks such as
data entry and processing of applications.
• Review and supervise Academy administrative and
business practices.
• Develop and maintain the registry database.
• Process new applications for forwarding to the
Academy Director for review as necessary.
• Maintain files for applications and supporting
documents submitted by applicants, candidates, and
Fellows.
• Implement the Academy marketing and advertising
plan.
• Liaison between non-WMS organizations and the
Academy Director and WMS EXCOM.
• Liaison between the Academy Director and WMS EXCOM,
program Chairs, and committees.
WMS Executive
Committee (EXCOM)
• Serve
as governing body for oversight and approval of major
Academy policy changes.
WMS President
•
Act as final authority for issues unable to be resolved
by the Academy Director and the EXCOM.
• Act as final resolution authority for appeals
by applicants, candidates, and Fellows.
Leadership
Director
James
R. Liffrig MD, MPH
LTC, US Army Medical Corps
LTC
Jim Liffrig MD, MPH of Pinehurst, NC is a 1993 graduate
of the Uniformed Services University, School of Medicine.
Prior to medical school Jim served for eleven years as
a Special Forces Medical Sergeant with duty in Latin America.
He also he served as a Senior Instructor for the Special
Forces Anti-Terrorism Division and the Survival Evasion
Resistance and Escape (SERE) program. After two assignments
as a Flight Surgeon in Special Forces, he completed residency
training and became board certified in Family Practice.
Jim’s experience in
Army Special Operations has allowed him to apply wilderness,
travel, and military operational medicine principles in
numerous remote areas. He is trained in Aviation and Dive
Medicine and has served as an instructor for BLS, ACLS,
PALS and ATLS. He completed a 2-year Faculty Development
Fellowship in Tacoma Washington and an MPH at the University
of Washington. Dr. Liffrig is currently the Chief of the
US military’s largest Family Medicine Department
at Womack Army Medical Center, Ft. Bragg, NC.
