09/07/2021
Council Q&A with Michelle Knopp, MD
OSMA Thought Leadership
OSMA Council Members work tirelessly on behalf of our nearly 10,000 members to ensure OSMA is meeting the needs of physicians and responding to the ever-changing healthcare landscape.
Over the past year, the role of the Council members has become even more important as OSMA has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. Providing feedback on COVID support, guiding our physician well-being programs and supporting advocacy efforts and public health campaigns are just a few of the ways Council members have been on the front-lines of helping OSMA work toward our mission of bringing physicians together for a healthier Ohio.
Get to know your OSMA leaders!
Michelle Knopp, MD
District 1, Resident/Fellow Section Chair
Internal Medicine
5-year OSMA Member
Q: Tell us about your medical career. What is your role and where are you currently practicing?
A: I just completed my internal medicine residency at the University of Cincinnati and am now serving as Chief Resident with a focus on quality improvement. While I spend most of my time working with residents, I spend 5 weeks as a hospitalist in Cincinnati. I am working on improving different aspects of our patient care in our resident clinic, develop educational material for the residency, and help with the administration as a whole.
Q: How long have you been a member of OSMA? What are the different ways you have been involved in the organization over the years?
A: I have been a member since my first year of medical school. I was the chair of the medical student section my fourth year at The Ohio State University College of Medicine and now serve as the chair of the resident/fellow section. I have helped develop policies that were initially passed at the OSMA and then have been taken and passed at the AMA. I helped form a wellness committee at the medical student level that paralleled the house’s efforts. I have served on reference committee for the house of delegates meeting.
Q: What are you looking forward to in working with the OSMA Council this coming year?
A: I am looking forward to building a statewide collaboration among residents and fellows. After the last year and a half, we all recognize how important community is.
Q: What do you see as some of the biggest issues facing healthcare in the coming year? How can OSMA work to address these issues?
A: The COVID pandemic has highlighted inequities in our system that have long been there. As we take a look at what has happened, we need to keep these lessons in mind to build a more equitable system. We must continue to advocate for access to care both in person and in the virtual setting. We must continue to understand the healthcare system by collecting reliable data. We must find ways to optimize the role of each person in the health care system to build high functioning teams that provide optimal and cost-effective care to patients.
Q: What are some of the ways in which OSMA has supported your medical practice?
A: OSMA has provided me with critical information to make sure I am practicing within the law. This has included OSMA’s educational materials that ensured I had the appropriate documentation for patients with prescriptions for Opioids. The OSMA also keeps me up to date on the latest billing changes, and OSMA helped share practices about telehealth. OSMA is my source for understanding what is happening at the Ohio statehouse that will affect my ability to practice medicine and my patient’s lives.
Q: How can Ohio physicians get involved in OSMA and get the most out of their membership?
A: Join us and get to know the leaders of medicine in Ohio. OSMA has helped me build a network of physicians I know can take on the world, just as we did during COVID. The OSMA has opened leadership opportunities for me such as attending the House of Medicine meetings. OSMA has also connected me with local political leaders to share our concerns and views. There are committees to serve on, resolutions to write, and lessons to learn. The best way to get your foot in the door is to get in touch with a colleague already involved or to attend the OSMA Annual Meeting.
If you’d like to get in touch with OSMA leadership or learn more about Council, please email council@osma.org.