{"@context":"http://iiif.io/api/presentation/3/context.json","id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/iiif/s46h12xb6g/manifest","type":"Manifest","label":{"en":["Cynthia Weber "]},"logo":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/246/original/CenterForHistoryFamilyMedicine_2c_RGB.png?1773344256","metadata":[{"label":{"en":["Rights Statement"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eThis item is protected by U.S. copyright and related rights. It is being made available by the Center for the History of Family Medicine as its rights-holder for noncommercial use, including sharing and adapting the work. No permission is required for noncommercial use so long as attribution is provided. All other uses require permission from the Center for the History of Family Medicine.  Disclaimer: The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker’s own and do not represent those of CHFM or the AAFP Foundation. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice. \u003c/p\u003e"]}},{"label":{"en":["Date"]},"value":{"en":["2006-07-19 (created)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Type"]},"value":{"en":["Oral History"]}},{"label":{"en":["Agent"]},"value":{"en":["Lindsay Young (Interviewer)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Format"]},"value":{"en":["audio file"]}},{"label":{"en":["Keyword"]},"value":{"en":["family medicine","family physician","American Academy of Family Physicians","Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors"]}},{"label":{"en":["Subject"]},"value":{"en":["Cynthia Weber, MA (personal name)"]}},{"label":{"en":["Language"]},"value":{"en":["English (primary)"]}}],"requiredStatement":{"label":{"en":["Attribution"]},"value":{"en":["\u003cp\u003eThis item is protected by U.S. copyright and related rights. It is being made available by the Center for the History of Family Medicine as its rights-holder for noncommercial use, including sharing and adapting the work. No permission is required for noncommercial use so long as attribution is provided. All other uses require permission from the Center for the History of Family Medicine. \u0026nbsp;Disclaimer: The views presented in this broadcast are the speaker\u0026rsquo;s own and do not represent those of CHFM or the AAFP Foundation. The information presented is for general, educational, or entertainment purposes and should not be considered legal, health, financial, or other advice.\u0026nbsp;\u003c/p\u003e"]}},"provider":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/aboutus","type":"Agent","label":{"en":["Center for the History of Family Medicine"]},"homepage":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/","type":"Text","label":{"en":["Center for the History of Family Medicine"]},"format":"text/html"}],"logo":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/organizations/logo_images/000/000/246/original/CenterForHistoryFamilyMedicine_2c_RGB.png?1773344256","type":"Image"}]}],"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 1 of 2 - Weber_Cynthia_06_a.wav"]},"duration":1812.13877,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008/content/1/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/284/008/original/Weber_Cynthia_06_a.wav?1754488698","type":"Audio","format":"audio/wav","duration":1812.13877,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008/transcript/82279","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Cynthia Weber Interview transcript [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008/transcript/82279/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"To start with, let’s go over some of your basic biographical and family data. Would you please state your name in full? \n\nI’m Cynthia Weintraub Weber.  \n\nWhen and where were you born? \n\nI was born April 10, 1947 in Little Rock, Arkansas.\n\nWhat were your parents’ names? \n\nMy mother’s name is Mildred Strauss Weintraub and my father’s name was A. Allen Weintraub.\n\nAnd your husband’s name? \n\nJames Ray Weber.\n\nHow did you meet your husband? \n\nThat’s an interesting story. I moved back to Little Rock after being on the west coast and had been home only a couple of days and my uncle, who was a family physician, called me and said that he was going to the state chapter meeting in Arkansas to the Blue Cross and Blue Shield cocktail party and did I want to join him and my aunt at that party. And I said not really. He said you just got back, it would be good for you to see everybody. So I said okay, I’ll go. And when I was there he introduced me to Jim and that’s how we actually re-met. I had met him previously but didn’t remember him. And he knew my parents well and, of course, my aunt and uncle well. So that’s how I met him.\n\nWhen and where were you married? \n\nWe were married in Little Rock in 1981.\n\nDo you have any children? \n\nYes, we had a blended family. My children, I have one daughter who is going to be 33 in a few weeks and who lives in Dallas, Texas and one son who will be 30 in a few weeks and lives in Denver, Colorado.  \n\nWhere did you grow up? \n\n\nI grew up in Little Rock but left there in 1965 to do my undergraduate work at Mills College in the San Francisco Bay area, on the east bay, Oakland. And then from there I did graduate school at Columbia University in New York City and then came back to the Bay area for a while and then ultimately went back home. I think the heart of hearts that’s what I always wanted to do.\n\nDo you have any stories from your childhood that you would like to share with us? \n\nI grew up in a physician family. My grandfather was a physician as well. Everybody had some connection, one way or another, with medicine. And as a little girl one of the treats we used to have was to be picked up by our grandfather, with the cousins, and go with him on house calls. And that was a lot of fun because we got to meet his patients. And it was interesting because some patients who couldn’t afford anything used to pay him with jams and jellies they had made or bread or whatever it was. It was just a nice evening to be able to spend with him, to meet his patients. And then we always ended in the summertime by going to a watermelon stand and eating watermelon. So that’s a memory I have.  \n\nDid you have any role models when you were young? \n\nI did. And I think my father was my biggest role model. He was the kind of person that used to encourage us to do whatever it was that we wanted to do and do it with a passion. And that has pretty much stuck with me all my life. And he always said when you get up in the morning you have to be excited about your day and what you’re doing. If not, you’re doing the wrong thing.   \n\nA great kind of way to live your life. Did you have any special dreams or goals yourself when you were young? \n\nActually, I did and it had nothing to do with medicine. I have a degree in East Asian Studies and I always thought that I would end up living in east Asia either working in a museum or doing something with the arts. And I certainly didn’t do that.\n\nWhere did you go to high school in your early years? \n\nI went to Hall High School. That was an interesting time, too, because it was right after all of the segregation issues that were going on in Little Rock at the time. And the year I went to Hall, it had only been open a couple of years. During the time they were having problems, Central High School was the main high school. And when they closed the schools in Arkansas for a couple of years, I was one of the very first classes to go back to high school in Little Rock. Prior to that time people were going out of state to school or going to other parts of the state to be with relatives so they could attend high school. And the National Guard was there and it was a very interesting time.\n\nWhere did you complete your undergraduate work?\n\nMills College. It’s an all-women’s college in Oakland, California.  \n\nWhat was your major there? \n\nIt was a double major: East Asian Studies and then my minor was in Sociology and Anthropology. \n\nDo you have any stories from that time that you would like to share with us? \n\nIt was probably the most exciting time in my life. Coming from Little Rock it was a very sheltered life that I lived. And while I had visited frequently on the east coast, I had really never been to the west coast. And that was one of the appealing factors about going there. And I went not knowing a soul. But I was so excited because three-fourths of the faculty there had taken sabbaticals in east Asia and that was one of the attractive features for me for going there. I love to read and growing up Pearl Buck was my favorite author. And that sort of was my introduction to life in east Asia during the period of time that she was there. So that was one of the reasons I chose Mills.  \n\nAnd at that time was when you had your kind of career hopes to…\n\n…to work and live in east Asia. And I actually received a job when I graduated but I had been accepted by Columbia University as well. So I had to make a decision to either go on for a master’s or do I go to China. And ultimately I decided I wanted my master’s more and I could delay anything jobwise in east Asia. I had a chance to visit east Asia but not work there.  \n\nSo you said you got your Master’s at Columbia? \n\nColumbia University.\n\nAnd what were your studies? \n\nContinuing on in East Asian Studies and History. Or Social Studies, whatever they called it then. \n\nAny special stories from that time? \n\nI have a lot of stories there. Most of those I probably wouldn’t share. But it was a wonderful time, too. And it was nice having an opportunity to be in school on both coasts. It was also interesting, that was a time when all of the student unrest was occurring. So I left the Bay area and it followed me to New York because I was there for both of the peak of that era.\n\nWere you ever involved in the military in any way? \n\nNo.  \n\nWas your husband? \n\nJim was a flight surgeon for the Air Force. Interestingly enough, I was probably on every House Un-American Activities list while I was in college because I marched in opposition to the Vietnam War, although one of my brothers served in that war and another brother served in the Gulf War. But that was a very interesting time.\n\nWas there anything you would like to share about how his military impacted you at all?   \n\nIt impacted me only that I worried about him being there. But I supported what he was doing. I just didn’t agree with the issues that led us to go into that war.\n\nLet’s move onto employment. What was your first position after you got your degree? \n\nMy first position, which was about a year or so, I taught school. I taught Problems of American Democracy and the History of Ancient and Modern China. And this was in New York City in the honors classes there. When I moved back to the Bay area, it was through my father that I got a job at the Regional Health Programs there and ultimately at the East Oakland Health Center where I developed CME programs for physicians and developed curricula for the nurses and support staff for their continuing education. I did that for about four years and eventually ended up working in Jim’s office running the business side of his practice and then went to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences where I was the administrator for the residency program there and Assistant Residency Director. So that’s the roundabout way I got here.  \n\nWhat would you say is the position that you enjoyed the most? \n\nThe one I have right now. I love this position and I love working with program directors all over the country and looking at the issues facing them today, which there are a lot.  \n\nWhich of your positions would you say you maybe didn’t like as well as some of the others?\n\nI hated a position I took which was sort of an interim thing through a temporary agency. I had to walk around the table all day and pick up papers and collate them and staple them. That was the job I hated the most. Definitely not a resume builder and really boring.\n\n\nOf the things that you have done, what do you think has maybe been the most important or has had the most impact? \n\nWorking with academic family medicine because the residents are the future of this discipline. And I’ve really enjoyed working with aspects of their education and the challenges that they are facing. It’s changed a lot. When I look at my family and what they did and then look at my husband and what he did and looking at the residents today, it’s an entirely different ball game. Values are different. Not to say one is better than the other but they’re just different. And that’s been very interesting for me.\n\nSo you’ve kind of watched this change and progress. Where do you think it’s going in the future for family medicine? \n\nThat’s a good question. I wish I could get my crystal ball out and answer that. I think it’s probably headed in a positive direction. And I think the Future of Family Medicine project and the project that they’re working on now with TransforMED is exciting. And an offshoot of the TransforMED is a project that AFMRD is partnering with the American Board of Family Medicine to look at residency programs and how they can be innovative and introduce the New Model of Practice. And I think that will do more to attract students into the discipline because for the past several years, as you well know, the interest level has dropped.\n\nYou kind of already went over how family medicine has been changing. Is there anything else you would like to add, how you’ve seen it change? \n\nI think that pretty well covers it.\n\nLet’s move on to talking about AFMRD.\n\nOne of my favorite subjects. \n\nWhat would you say led to the formation of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors?   \n\nIt’s my understanding that years ago program directors felt a need to have their own organization as they felt their needs at the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine weren’t being met there. And they wanted to be more independent than they could be with that organization. So they broke away from STFM and founded AFPRD, at that time, which is now AFMRD. And the organization has really grown over the last few years and they’re major players at the family medicine table now.\n\nSo who was kind of involved in getting the program off the ground in the beginning? \n\nIn the beginning both Dr. Pugno here and Dr. Tippy and Dr. Alvin Haley and Dr. Kahn, of course, were the ones that were instrumental in forming the organization and it’s just grown from there.\n\nSo how did you get involved in the Association? \n\nWhen I moved up here...I moved to the Academy in October of 2000. And in January of 2001 I was asked if I would be willing to expand my job and work with AFPRD at that time. And I said yeah, let’s go for it. So we did and I’ve been with them ever since.\n\nWhat position are you holding and when did you start it? \n\nOriginally I was Executive Director and now I’m Executive Vice President, and that’s how it started.\n\nWhat kind of duties are involved in holding this position? \n\nI’m responsible for maintaining and growing their budget and reserves, hiring staff, overseeing the organization and keeping it on course. Working very closely with the Executive Committee to make sure that’s being done. And giving some strategy ideas for ways to grow the organization, which is the most fun part of the job and a big part of it.  \n\nSo what have been some of the things you’ve been able to accomplish in this role? \n\nWe started two preceptorships, one in osteoporosis and one in diabetes. And with these programs, which we offer to residents across the country, there are about 50 residents who attend each session and we run anywhere from 25 to 30 programs a year. So it’s a big program and a big project. And because of these projects, the money that we earn from overseas and developing them has also grown the reserves of AFMRD. AFMRD started with hardly any reserves and we’ve built it up now to a position where we can take care of ourselves in bad times. Or if the grants go away, for whatever reason, we’ll have enough reserves to survive. One of the other things I should mention on our projects, and Perry Pugno was one of the founders of the National Institute for Program Director Development. And we run now not only NIPDD 1 but NIPDD 2. That project is really a school for program directors. And in NIPDD 1, people who are aspiring to be program directors or who are new program directors or some of them who have been them for a while and just need to hone their skills and be better at what they do. Then with NIPDD 2, we took it to the next level. And it focuses on putting balance in your life and how to keep you interested and wanting to be a program director. Because when I first came, the turnover for program directors was about every four years and now it’s much longer. And I think because of AFMRD and because of NIPDD, they feel that they have support and that they will get that level of training that they need to be the best they can be at their jobs.  \n\nWhat unique challenges do you face holding this position? \n\nThere are a lot of challenges. Just dealing with things at such a high level. I tend to be a high altitude thinker anyway but this is way out there near the space shuttle. So that was a challenge but a fun challenge. So I would think that’s probably the biggest one.\n\nSo where or what or who did you kind of look to, to get the ideas or have experiences? \n\nI think Perry has been the biggest influence since I’ve been here. He’s a wonderful teacher and a mentor. And the fact that he’ll let me go for it. And if things aren’t going the direction they need to go then he allows me to shift sail and go another direction. And that’s been a good learning experience in and of itself. But a lot of the things that I had at the lower altitudes in the residency program in Little Rock, that was wonderful preparation for this job. And then also the fact that my husband was President of the Academy in 1994 and ‘95. So that taught me the politics of the Academy and also gave me a good foundation in seeing things from the practicing physician’s perspective.\n\nSo we have talked about the fact that some of this is through you. But how is the Association financed? \n\nWe get income from dues and from both NIPDD 1 and NIPDD 2. We get income from our preceptorships. And that’s about it. We are a 501(c)(3) organization, so we cannot sell things and make a profit. We can earn money from grants and from services but not from having a sale of books or shirts or things like that. So it’s really been tough finding those sources and enough of those sources to keep us afloat. So I think that has been one of my biggest challenge but also one of my biggest rewards.\n\nWhat was the world of family medicine like when you first came to AFMRD? \n\nNot a lot different than it is right now. And the challenges that we looked at then have just escalated. For academic family medicine programs, finding funding sources for them, whether it be through state legislators or through foundations or through sponsoring institutions is always a challenge. And so many of the programs have closed over the last several years. And not because they’re bad programs, because they don’t have the financial support to continue. And that’s been a big issue. And then things that are going on in Washington, DC with Title VII funds. They all play into this. And it’s very frustrating when you see the good programs having to close. Some of the programs need to close, and unfortunately those are the ones that usually hang around for a while. And the issue of quality versus quantity, that’s always been something for big discussion both in programs and in residents.\n\nI know you mentioned earlier how kind of the residency programs have seen a change throughout the years. What are the differences between the earlier residencies and the ones you see now? \n\nI can give you my experience with the Little Rock program. Jim was very involved with that program and we had second-and third-year residents who did their surgery rotations with him. He did totally full scope of family medicine. And early on the residents were more dedicated to longer hours and they wanted to stay till the bitter end. As the years went by, it was okay, I’ve got to get home by 5:00 and the attitude and feel was different. And not to say that’s bad  because when my kids were growing up you couldn’t say to a patient sorry, you can’t have a heart attack today because my daughter is having a birthday. And I think a lot of the young people value their personal life more than they value staying to the bitter end. I’m not saying this is across the board. This is just my experience with one program.\n\nSo as you have kind of watched AFMRD grow and change, did it turn out how you thought it would or are there any differences? \n\nI’ve been really pleased with what’s happened here. And the organization itself has just grown so much. And I think we’re going in a positive direction. The program directors that I’ve had the wonderful opportunity to work with on the Board have been exceptional and they’re a wonderful group and very dedicated to what they do. And because of their enthusiasm and dedication, we’re seeing more and more program directors wanting to go for leadership positions in the organization. When I first came, we would call up and say oh, would you please run for the Board? Now we have contested elections and the interest level is growing. And we’ve developed committees on the Board to encourage rank and file to get involved and get leadership experience at that level, so hopefully they’ll come to the Board with good things.  \n\nWhat was the toughest decision you would have to say you have had to make within the Association? \n\nThat’s a hard question because the decisions haven’t been really that difficult. The Board is such a good group that we can sort of lay things out on the table, look at the pros and cons and then usually come to a consensus on a direction that we want to go. So I don’t think of there being anything difficult.\n\nKind of significant moments in AFMRD. I was wondering if maybe we could kind of look at the timeline I have and if you wanted to talk about any of the moments. If you want to discuss any of the highlights of that or any filling in of areas. \n\nThe timeline, everything kind of falls into place and one thing leads to another. When we had our name change from [Family] Practice to [Family] Medicine, that was kind of an interesting discussion at Program Directors’ Workshop. But I’m glad that they made that decision. There’s nothing really in the timeline that is outstanding. It’s just been sort of a natural progression. But if people could understand where this organization came from and what it is today and how it’s grown and how we’re not the little kids on the block anymore. In size we are but not in enthusiasm and willingness to work. I view the program directors as the work of the other organization. If they’re given something to do, by golly they do it. And it’s done in a wonderfully positive way. So that’s how I look at the organization. There’s not a lot of analysis paralysis. It’s okay, we have this job. How are we going to get it done and let’s go do it.  \n\nDo you want to talk anymore about the timeline? \n\nNo, because I think you’ve really got it there.  \n\nI know you said you enjoy this job a lot. What is your biggest satisfaction from it? \n\nSeeing how the organization has grown and working with the people I work with on the Board and in the regular membership. That’s been the biggest pleasure for me. A lot of these people I knew before I got here and it’s nice to be able to keep in contact with those people in an ongoing way.  \n\nIf you could start all over again, is there anything you would do differently? \n\nI might reconsider my decision not to go to China and go to graduate school. I chose graduate school. In a way, I wish that I had spent several years in China and then gone to graduate school. But that would probably be the only thing that I might change.\n\nWhat kind of things do you feel you have done especially right, that you just did really well? \n\nThat’s a very hard question. I have two wonderful children and they grew up to be very special people. So I would say that’s one thing that I did well.\n\nIs there anything that you think maybe you didn’t do as well as you would like to have done? \n\nNo, I don’t have any regrets. I like the path that I have chosen and the things I’ve done.\n\nWho are the people that you worked with most closely in the organization of AFMRD and what were your impressions of those people and who impressed you the most or didn’t impress as much? \n\nI wear two hats and the AFMRD is only one part of what I do. But those that have I worked with in AFMRD I have really enjoyed. I have found program directors to be the worker bees. They don’t do a lot of time talking about things; they spend more time doing things and get whatever job needs to be done, done quickly. So that’s been kind of exciting because that’s kind of the way I like to work, too. Really, those who have been on the AFMRD Board are very exceptional people and are multifaceted and they have taught me a lot. \n\nAnyone you would like to talk about in particular or not? \n\nI think the times I have spent with the Presidents have probably been exceptional. And I spend a lot of time on the phone with them, exchanging emails, preparing for executive committee meetings and Board meetings. So I really work closely with them. So I guess that would probably be the group in AFMRD that I really enjoyed.\n\nI have a list of Presidents here. Would you be able to say anything about any of them? \n\nPam Snape was the first one I worked with. And I felt like when I took over for AFMRD that somebody threw me into the deep end of the water and said swim. So she was a good lifesaver and worked with me during the six months I had working with her and she was a big help. John Bucholtz followed Dr. Snape. He and I still remain close and I get to work with him as Chair of the Subcommittee on Graduate Curriculum on the Commission on Education on the Academy side. He is another wonderful teacher, has a fabulous sense of humor and I really enjoy working with him. And then after Dr. Bucholtz I believe was Dr. Janice Nevin. And I am still working with her since I go to the Residency Review Committee for Family Medicine. She is one of the RRC committee members, so that relationship continues in that way even though she’s a Chair of a department now and no longer a program director. And Robin Winter who is in the New Jersey program is probably one of the most organized and thoughtful people I’ve ever met. And by thoughtful I mean thinks through very clearly and carefully before he’ll make a decision. And when he makes a decision and shares his thoughts, they’re always worth listening to. So he was especially wonderful to work with. Dr. Nalin, who is in Indiana, is now in the Dean’s office. So a lot of these Presidents of our organization moved onto bigger and better things. But I still keep in touch with him and he still does some work for AFMRD which is really good because he is another one that’s a very thoughtful leader and was a pleasure to work with. They have all been a pleasure. Penny Tenzer, who is in the Miami program, I call her a little pistol. She’s full of energy, gets the job done. And we still maintain close contact and she’s still on the executive committee as immediate past president. So we’re lucky to have her continue on this year for sure. Sam Jones is the current president and he brings a lot of reality to the Board. His residency program is actually a practice. He has residents within his private practice, so they get a very unique experience. And he brings a lot to the Board coming in from that background. And he’s also co-chair of the P4 project, which is something that came out of the Future of Family Medicine and the TransforMED project. So he and Dr. Larry Green are co-chairing that where they’re going to identify 20 residency programs around the country and select those programs doing very innovative things. So we will kind of put a spotlight on those programs and see how they can impact other programs to do more innovative things. And Dr. Robinson, who is our President-Elect, I’m going to enjoy working with him as well. And I’ve gotten to know him through the executive committee. So I think we’ve been so lucky with the ones that we’ve had.\n\nDo you recall when family medicine actually became a specialty and what the feeling in the air was at the time? \n\nIt was back in 1969, some of the earliest programs started. And coming from Arkansas, although I was on the west coast at the time, I still knew people who were in those first classes of residents. My father was even involved with some of the early residency programs. So it was an exciting time because it kind of elevated the generalists, the general practitioners to the level of the other disciplines and the specialties. And I remember a lot of people my age that were in those first classes and it was a very exciting time.\n\nLooking back over all your years with the organization, what would you say are your fondest memories and why? And what were some of your darkest days and what are those? \n\nI don’t know about darkest days. But fondest memories I think really go back to my husband and the time that he spent working his way up in the Academy. Starting with the Arkansas Academy of Family Physicians, becoming a delegate to the Congress of Delegates from Arkansas and then moving on to the Board of Directors and ultimately President of the Academy. And the years he spent on the AAFP Board of Directors were really for me a lot of fun. I liked going with him to the various state chapters and meeting all the people that we met. And I think I mentioned earlier, our kids even became friends with other family physician children and have remained friends all these many years. So that was kind of the highlight for me. So coming to the Academy in a professional way was easy and it helped knowing both sides of everything. Knowing the spouse side and the staff side.  I can’t think of any dark times. I guess the really dark times were when Jim was diagnosed with his malignant brain tumor and watching someone who was always so full of life and vibrant and loved to do so many things not being able to do that anymore.  \n\nWhat do you feel the organization is doing better nowadays than when you first started here? \n\nCommunication always seems to improve. I think having the right people in the right place to get that information shared with program directors and faculty is important. But I think the discipline is changing and evolving so that it’s been a challenge to try to keep up with those challenges. But I think the Academy is going a pretty good job of that.\n\nIs there anything that you think that maybe it’s not doing as well as when it first started out? \n\nNo, I think it’s just changing. And what family physicians were back in the late ‘60s, it’s not what they are today. The difficulty, it’s hard for many family physicians to do the full scope of the practice and some don’t want to do the full scope of the practice. And it’s difficult to find residents today who (I don’t know exactly how to say this) while they are enthusiastic and they want to spend all their time practicing medicine now, they might want to have a different lifestyle and delivering babies is not important to them anymore or doing procedures may not be important. So I think keeping up with the times and keeping the discipline interesting enough that people want to pursue it is a challenge.\n\nDo you have any advice that you would give to a new employee here to be successful within the organization? \n\nLearn as much as you can about the history of family medicine. Don’t just interpret your job in terms of your cubicle. Trying to look at things from a higher altitude and try to understand how what you do impacts what other divisions do and other areas in the Academy. And I think that you learn more, you do a better job. This is what I do and I don’t do it out of this cubicle, it’s not my job – I don’t have patience with that.  \n\nI know you said your time here when your husband was President and on the Board and things were some of your best times. So let’s talk about that a little. Was your husband President in 1994? \n\n‘94, ‘95.\n\nHow would you describe your year as first lady, kind of? What role did you play? \n\nKind of as a partner. Jim and I discussed this for a long time before he ever ran for the Board. And I think it has to be a real partnership with your spouse or significant other when you choose to go this route because it’s a lot of time on the road, you have to have a good sense of humor and you have to be supportive of the person who chooses to go that route or else it won’t work. And there were several couples who were on the Board the same time we were that are no longer married. Obviously, that didn’t dissolve the marriage. There were obviously other problems, too. But it really, I think, negatively impacted that relationship. So you have to go in with the attitude this is going to be fun, we’re going to do it together. And those who have chosen to go that route have been very successful.  \n\nDuring this time period which issues were most important to you? \n\nHealthcare reform was the big issue at that point in time. And the Clinton Administration was in the White House. And coming from Arkansas, it’s difficult for us...I mean we knew the Clintons and were friends with them. But it was frustrating because Hillary Clinton chose not to listen to those who know. And as a result, it was just a disaster on anything to do with healthcare reform. Managed care was another big issue. And the results of that were not so positive either. So those were the big things at that time. And interestingly enough, Amy, our daughter was an intern in the White House. So when Jim would go to visit in the White House to talk about healthcare reform, it was nice to be with Amy. She was not there when Monica [Lewinsky] was there. She was there six months before.\n\nDo you feel that you have resolved those issues at all or are they still kind of worse? \n\nI think healthcare reform, it’s going to take a lot to resolve that. We’re far from fixing the system. In terms of managed care, I think it’s run its cycle and that’s not the big thing right now. Just looking at the whole system of healthcare and knowing it needs fixing but then figuring out how you do that, that’s a big problem.  \n\nYou traveled on an early Physicians With Heart trip? \n\nYes, we went to Armenia. That was so much fun. We flew over from the Netherlands down to Armenia on a Russian cargo plane and that was an interesting experience in and of itself. And we were told to dress warmly because you were going to be sitting back and there was no heat. When, in fact, they put us in a compartment that wasn’t much bigger than the top of this table and it was hot as can be. And the Russian crew and pilots were smoking one cigarette after the other. No restroom on the plane. So you had to have a really good sense of humor to do that, and we laughed a lot. But meeting the people there was wonderful. And we traveled to a little town called Gyurmi, which is several hours outside of Yerevan and the capital of Armenia. And Jim practiced medicine for a day in the clinic there and he solved the problem nobody else was able to solve. They just didn’t have the proper equipment to test nor did they have any of the medications. So they were glad to see us when we got there when we brought medications and supplies. But that was a wonderful trip and made you appreciate everything you have in this country. We spent one night in a hospital that was no longer being used as a hospital and we slept on gurneys. So those were some of the conditions that we experienced. And the hotel room in Yerevan was interesting, too, because there was a woman on the trip with us from one of the pharmaceutical companies and she was having a heck of a time trying to communicate with the desk in the lobby to get a wake-up call. So she was in the room right next to ours, so I, in my regular voice, said don’t worry about, I’ve got a clock in here, I’ll get you up. So there was no privacy whatsoever. But it was fun.\n\nYou brought $6 million of medical supplies? \n\nYes.  \n\nAnd you made a really big impact? \n\nI think it was more like a Band-Aid. Because if you went into the hospitals themselves and saw what was in the pharmacies, there was nothing. Medical equipment, they were thrilled to get even a stethoscope that we brought with us. And they were so grateful for anything. But again, it was a Band-Aid when they really needed a lot more.\n\nWas your husband interested in legislative issues?  \n\nYes, he was very much involved both on the state and the national levels. In Arkansas during our legislative sessions he would be down at the legislature every day until about noon and then seeing patients until 8:00 or 9:00 at night. So he would do a full day in the office and a good part of the day down at the state capitol working with the lobbyists.\n\nWhich issue was he most passionate about? \n\nHealthcare reform. And there were a lot of issues that came up that affected primary care. So that’s what he did.\n\nAny achievements you saw come out of what he was doing or positive things? \n\nI think he made an impact because he could get the message across and explain why people needed to vote the way that they should and they usually did. So he definitely served as a positive factor when it came to healthcare in Arkansas.\n\nTalk to me about the people who touched your life throughout the years. Who were they? Where were they? How did they affect you? Just kind of big picture kind of people? \n\nI think I mentioned earlier that my father was really the one who influenced my decisions the most and gave me the courage to go for whatever I wanted to go for and to do something outside of the box. Because in my age group, women were encouraged to teach school, be nurses or stay home and I didn’t see myself doing any of those things. So he really encouraged me just to go for it. Other people that have influenced me a lot, I would say it’s various people that I have worked with along the way. And undergraduate, there was one teacher in particular who really inspired me. But usually whatever situation I’m in, there is always somebody that will inspire me. I’ve been in very few situations that that has not happened because I’m always looking for that person.  \n\nDo you have any views on important issues for family medicine or any positions you’ve had in the past that we haven’t talked about? Any issues that we haven’t really touched on? \n\nI just hope that the young ones that are coming up now realize what a wonderful discipline this is and the fact that you can create your own adventure. I think a lot of the medical students think they can’t make a good living, they’re not going to be able to pay their debts. But really, they can live a very good life and they can specialize within the specialty as they go on and find something that they’re really interested in. Because that’s what usually happens. I don’t know too many people that do everything and then not concentrate on one thing more than another. That’s just natural. And that’s why it’s such a nice discipline because you can do anything to take care of people from the womb to the tomb. And I think that’s a real advantage.\n\nDo you have any concluding thoughts you would like to have? Kind of your opportunity to share your thoughts with future generations listening to the tape or set the record straight on anything that might be important to address? \n\nJust listen to your heart when you choose the discipline and realize that you can make it whatever you want to make it. And to go in with the idea that you really want to do something for people and not just worry about how much money I’m going to make. Because you have to love what you’re doing. And I think that’s with any discipline. Especially in family medicine because you’re looking at the whole person and you’re treating that person in the context of that person and that person’s family and you’re not looking at just one organ system. So you have to really kind of bond with the patient more than any other discipline.  \n\nThank you very much.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008#t=0.0,1812.13877"}]},{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008/transcript/82280","type":"AnnotationPage","label":{"en":["Description of interview with Cynthia Weber [Transcript]"]},"items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008/transcript/82280/annotation/2","type":"Annotation","motivation":"transcribing","body":{"type":"TextualBody","value":"Interviewee: Cynthia Weber, MA\n\nInterviewer: Lindsay Young\n\nDate: July 27, 2006\n\n“I’ve really enjoyed working with the aspects and challenges of residents’ education,” says Cynthia Weber. As Vice President of AFMRD (Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors) since 2001, she has worked with program directors throughout the United States.\n\nTo help them face today’s issues, Weber proudly points to two preceptorships started by AFMRD: one in osteoporosis, one in diabetes. She explains, “We offer them to residents across the country with attendance running close to 50 at each session. There are 25 to 30 programs offered each year. It’s a big program, a big project.”\n\nAnother series of educational programs are NIPDD 1 and 2.  NIPDD 1 is designed for aspiring or new program directors while NIPDD 2’s aim is to inspire current directors and provide them with a new level of training. Weber believes that the support provided by the preceptorships and NIPDD have helped to stem the four-year average turnover of directors. \n\nAs AFMRD has grown over the years, she has seen them give back to the Academy by choosing to work on the Board. “Because of their enthusiasm and dedication,” she notes, “we’re seeing more and more program directors wanting to go for leadership positions in the organization. I have found them to be worker bees…not a lot of time talking…more time doing things…done quickly.”\n\nWeber herself is a worker bee. After graduating from Columbia University with a MA, she taught honors’ classes in New York City. From there, she returned to the San Francisco Bay area to work at the Regional Health Programs. Next came a position at the East Oakland Health Center to develop CME programs for physicians and curricula for nurses and supporting staff. She also worked on the business side of her husband’s (Dr. Jim Weber) office for four years. Then she became the administrator for the residency program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and served as the Assistant Residency Director before coming to the Academy in 2000.","format":"text/plain"},"target":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284008#t=0.0,1812.13877"}]}]},{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284007","type":"Canvas","label":{"en":["Media File 2 of 2 - Weber_Cynthia_06_b.wav"]},"duration":1469.33289,"width":640,"height":360,"thumbnail":[{"id":"https://d9jk7wjtjpu5g.cloudfront.net/public/images/audio-default.png","type":"Image","format":"image/png"}],"items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284007/content/1","type":"AnnotationPage","items":[{"id":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284007/content/2/annotation/1","type":"Annotation","motivation":"painting","body":{"id":"https://aviary-p-centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.s3.wasabisys.com/collection_resource_files/resource_files/000/284/007/original/Weber_Cynthia_06_b.wav?1754488690","type":"Audio","format":"audio/wav","duration":1469.33289,"width":640,"height":360},"target":"https://centerforthehistoryoffamilymedicine.aviaryplatform.com/collections/2195/collection_resources/154856/file/284007","metadata":[]}]}],"annotations":[]}]}