Good Medicine : About the Cosponsor

The American Physicians Fellowship for Medicine in Israel (APF) was founded in 1950 by a group of American Jewish physicians who wanted to show solidarity with their professional colleagues in the newly founded State of Israel. APF has been dedicated to assisting the development of Israel as a world-class medical center since that time.

Through a variety of programs directed to the improvement of medical education, research and care in Israel, APF's broad-based membership has been in the forefront of establishing ongoing connections between the medical communities of Israel and North America. Not tied to any one Israeli institution, APF has striven to fill unique niches and create real people-to-people linkages with all of Israel's medical schools and many hospitals and other medical institutions.

At the heart of our program has been our Fellowship program which has provided supplementary support to young Israeli physicians coming to the US and Canada for specialty training. APF fellowship grants have been awarded over the years to over 1,000 Israeli physicians, Jew and Arab, many of whom today fill senior positions in Israel's hospitals and medical schools. Some forty Israeli physicians currently receive such fellowship support.

Over the years, the APF has developed other programs, including:

• Dr. Manuel M. Glazier Institute of the History of Medicine

• Emergency medical help for Israel by maintaining the official register of American physicians, nurses and allied health professionals ready to volunteer in case of need.

• Funding important medical research projects by young Israeli physicians through the Edward H. Kass Fund and other research awards.

• Support for Israel's trauma program administered by the Medical Corps of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

• Helping initiate Israel's first Podiatry programs.

• Supporting Russian immigrant physicians retraining in fields needed in Israel.

• Providing intensive specialty training in the U.S. for Israeli nurses from hospitals throughout Israel through the Solomon Hirsh Nurse Fund.

• Medical missions and equipment donations in areas of need, including support for a Jewish-Arab Mammography mission last year to Ramallah Hospital on the West Bank.

• CME seminars in Israel and North America led by world-renowned experts.