Meet the new AMAA president

AMAA Journal, Summer, 2004

Born in Lakewood, New Jersey to a family of physicians, Charles L. Schulman graduated from Franklin and Marshall College and University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. After Internal Medicine training at university hospitals in Cleveland, he headed to Boston for a Cardiology Fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital. Since then, with the exception of two years in which he served as Chief of Cardiology at the 249th General Hospital at Camp Drake, during the Vietnam War, Schulman has made the Boston area his home.

Although he is a dedicated runner and lives very close to the Boston Marathon course, Schulman's busy schedule has kept him from taking on a marathon training program. Instead, he fulfills himself with sharing his expertise at teaching hospitals and continuing medical education seminars. He also frequently gets to share his passion for education and running with his patients. "Many of them know that I run. If they don't, I tell them," says Schulman. Since most of his patients are facing life-threatening illnesses or have had heart bypass surgery, it means more to them to know that their physician follows his own advice. "It makes the message more powerful than 'Do as I say, not as I do.'"

Schulman recently completed a term as president for the American Running Association (ARA) and still serves on the ARA Board. He has been a long-time member of the AMAA Board, serving consecutive terms, and has chaired the AMAA Sports Medicine Symposium at Boston for almost 10 years. His desire to "spread good science" is what attracted him to the management side of the symposium. "It's important that doctors understand the various scientific and medical conditions that patients ask about. I talk to my patients about exercise all the time." And because the Boston meeting comprises a group of fairly regular attendees, he enjoys the challenges of keeping the agenda interesting, varied and current with important, timely topics.

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As for his vision of AMAA in years to come, Schulman stresses the need for broadening its appeal and growing the membership. "We are a dedicated group of doctors and runners who have an important message to spread regarding the benefits of exercise, as well as the safety of runners. I'd like us to reach even more individuals with this message. I'd also like to see more members get actively involved, although I realize we are just one of the many things competing for a physician's time and attention."

"Filling the [running] shoes of long-time AMAA President Noel Nequin is somewhat daunting," adds Schulman, "but I'm delighted to be given this opportunity and look forward to serving our members."

Your comments and ideas regarding AMAA are always welcome. If you'd like to contact Dr. Schulman, please send e-mail to amaa@americanrunning.org.