(The following are brief notes on actions taken at the meeting of the Board on Professional Standards on May 6, 1970, and the meeting of the Executive Council on May 7. Other actions taken at these meetings are reported more fully elsewhere in this issue.)
Farewell Address: Dr. Jacob A. Arlow, who completed his three year term as Chairman of the Board on Professional Standards at this meeting, delivered a farewell address entitled “Group Psychology and the Study of Institutes.” The address was a thoughtful analysis of the problems and conflicts that have occurred within organized psychoanalysis as it has grown and developed. Dr. Arlow's analysis viewed these recurring episodes from the point of view of psychoanalytic group psychology. His address was warmly received by the Fellows of the Board. Before delivering his address, Dr. Arlow turned over the gavel to Dr. Francis McLaughlin and welcomed him as the new Chairman. Dr. James McLaughlin began his term as Secretary of the Board at the same time.
Child Analysis Programs: The Committee on Child Analysis, headed by Dr. Calvin Settlage, has recommended approval of eight established programs in child analysis. In his report Dr. Settlage reviewed the ten years of effort, in the development of these programs, that have culminated in this recommendation. The Board unanimously approved the recommendation and by this action the following Institutes now have accredited programs in child analysis:
Baltimore Psychoanalytic Institute
Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis
Institute of the Philadelphia Association for Psychoanalysis
Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute
San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute
Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute
Topeka Institute for Psychoanalysis
Washington Psychoanalytic Institute
New Training Analysts: The Board approved the appointment of a number of new training and supervising analysts. Their names and the names of their Institutes are as follows:
Denver Psychoanalytic Institute — Dr. Gaston E. Blom, Child Supervising Analyst.
Pittsburgh Psychoanalytic Institute — Dr. Rex W. Speers, Training and Supervising Analyst.
Los Angeles Psychoanalytic Society and Institute — Drs. Milton H. Bronstein, Samuel Futterman, and George Leventhal, Training Analysts.
Boston Psychoanalytic Society and Institute — Dr. M. Robert Gardner, Training and Supervising Analyst.
Chicago Institute for Psychoanalysis — Dr. Paul Tolpin, Training and Supervising Analyst.
Institute of the Philadelphia Association for Psychoanalysis — Dr. Stanley H. Shapiro, Child Supervising Analyst.
Division of Psychoanalytic Education, State University of New York, College of Medicine, at New York City — Drs. Shelley Orgel, Austin Silber and Julian L. Stamm, Training Analysts.
San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute — Dr. Calvin F. Settlage, Training Analyst.
Residency Training: Dr. James Mann, Chairman,' reported on studies done by the Committee on Residency Training concerning the psychoanalytic content of residency training programs, and some of the factors which may operate to determine whether a given resident does or does not eventually go on to training in psychoanalysis. Dr. Mann referred to the rapid changes taking place in medical school curricula (see item on Committee on Medical Education in the report of the activities of Council below). He suggested that we might consider the idea of a “psychoanalytic track” in the medical school curriculum which could provide seminars, clinical conferences and the like for potential analytic candidates, and he thought that a similar “track” might be established for the psychiatric resident. This report led to a vigorous discussion and it was suggested that it be distributed to the various training institutes.
Executive Secretaries: The Secretary of the Board announced that the group of executive secretaries had met on May 5, 1970 at the San Francisco Psychoanalytic Institute and had elected the following officers:
Mrs. Molly Schoenberg — “Boston” — re-elected Chairman.
Mrs. Mary Cooper — “Topeka” — re-elected Co-Chairman.
Mrs. Mary Allen — “Washington” — Secretary.
Mrs. Alberta Kefer — “Western New England” — Treasurer.
Proposal to Eliminate December Business Meetings: A Committee on Financial Resources and Commitments, under the chairmanship of Dr. Samuel Ritvo, was recently appointed to study the long range financial problems of the Association. The Committee has considered ways of decreasing Association expenses, while at the same time making it possible to pay members a per diem allowance for time spent in Committee meetings during the days just preceding the two National Conventions. It suggested that the Association consider cutting expenses by eliminating one set of Administrative meetings — those held in December — though retaining both national scientific meetings.
This proposal was discussed at some length in Council, with a variety of arguments being advanced pro and con. Council felt that it was not prepared to take any action on this complicated change at first hearing, and it was agreed that the matter should be discussed in the Societies and Institutes and be considered again at the next meeting of Council.
Recognition for Research Graduates: The Committee on Recognition for Research Graduates, chaired by Dr. George Pollock, submitted a long and careful report on its investigation of the question of an appropriate form of recognition for those research candidates who are graduated from the various Institutes. The Committee recommended unanimously that these individuals be made eligible for full membership. This matter was also put off for consideration at the Fall Meeting, with the understanding that Councilors will in the meantime have an opportunity to have the matter discussed in their Societies.
Congress on Medical Education: Dr. George Pollock also reported as the Association's representative to the A.M.A. Congress on Medical Education. His report was enormously stimulating and provoked lengthy discussion in the Council. The Congress, which was held in February, 1970, was attended by professors and deans of medical schools and representatives of government organizations, and its topic dealt with current trends in medical education. Dr. Pollock reported that the Congress discussed such things as the abbreviation of medical education to three years in nineteen medical schools; “multiple track” programs leading to early specialization; the abolition of internships; and the shortening of specialty training in some fields to a period of eight years from high school graduation. Councilors were interested in the many implications which these trends in medical education have for training in psychoanalysis, particularly in relation to the concern of psychoanalytic educators with finding ways to shorten analytic training.
The Case of Dr. Lifschutz: Council heard a report on the latest developments in the case of Dr. Joseph Lifschutz, who has been fighting a legal battle in California for a special concept of confidentiality. On April 15th the Supreme Court of the State of California handed down an opinion upholding the contempt judgment against Dr. Lifschutz, but the opinion contains many limitations on the kinds of questions which the psychiatrist could be asked to answer. It is said to be the feeling of those close to the case that, despite the upholding of the contempt citation, the California Supreme Court opinion materially advances the cause of confidentiality. The matter has not yet reached its conclusion in the courts.
Panels at the A.A.A.S.: President Astley has warmly congratulated Dr. Herman Serota, Chairman of the Committee for Liaison with the American Association for the Advancement of Science, on the success of the Association's panel at the December, 1969 meeting of that organization. The panel, chaired by Dr. Samuel Ritvo, was entitled “Youth: Ego Ideals and Impact of Culture.” It was warmly received by a youthful and non-disruptive audience, and attracted a large conference of representatives of the press. The panel planned for the 1970 meeting of the A.A.A.S. in Chicago is entitled “The Interface between Psychoanalysis and Education.” This panel is to be chaired by Dr. Gaston E. Blum.
Liaison with Latin American Colleagues: It was announced that Dr. Marcel Heiman, who has rendered distinguished service as Chairman of this Committee over a number of years, will retire. He received warm appreciation from the Executive Committee and the Exectuive Council. He will be succeeded in the Chairmanship by Dr. Otto Kernberg, who is now Co-chairman.
AT MEETING OF MEMBERS