Page 17 - Delaware Medical Journal - January/February 2021
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COVER STORY
including the Delaware Marathon several times, and he dreams of one day running
LONG HISTORY OF INVOLVEMENT WITH MSD
Dr. Burday has been extensively involved with the Medical Society of Delaware for more than three decades. Among his many positions within the Society, he chaired the Committee on Education and the Delaware Medical Education Foundation Board of Directors, and served on the Education Program Planning Subcommittee and the Primary Care Subcommittee.
He continues to be a member of the Government Affairs Committee.
residency and I thought this would be an opportunity to engage in an area I hadn’t been able to engage with — and that was political-related issues and maybe working with doctors I didn’t know,” Dr. Burday said. He recalled how Past President Dr. Janice Tildon-Burton reached out to him as a young physician and encouraged him to join the Educational Program Planning Subcommittee. “That really got me involved and snowballed into other things. It took me quite some time to realize the extent of all the things MSD has to offer.”
Among Dr. Burday’s core goals for his presidential year, which also include supporting primary care in Delaware, encouraging patients to utilize their primary care physicians, rejuvenating adding new dimension to the Delaware Medical Journal, he would like to increase engagement and diversity like Dr. Tildon- Burton did by reaching out to him more than a decade ago. “I would really like
to have more engagement of physicians in the state in the Medical Society. I think that sometimes people don’t realize that MSD is more than just helping with
is also helping us work with patients to create a healthier state. I think there is
a lot of opportunity within MSD to be able to get involved and get engaged in a committee and really make an impact.”
Among several of the biggest issues he feels physicians face in today’s world of medicine are the need for payment reform, work stressors leading many to question their career, and the electronic medical record. Appropriate reimbursement for primary care is an issue he believes requires prominent attention and reform. “Changes are occurring, but very slowly, and the pandemic has decimated primary care in many ways. Work stress has led many physicians to retire early, become employed, or change career paths. The
huge change in medicine that I wish we didn’t have to deal with.”
When asked the quintessential interview question of where he sees himself in
10 years, Dr. Burday said he hopes that aside from teaching, he’ll spend more time volunteering both within the United States and outside its borders. “I have done two mission trips with Hands that provides medical care, health education, and spiritual renewal to the underserved parts of the world) — one
to Belize and one to Antigua — and they were really great, so perhaps doing more of this work would be something to look forward to doing. I really think that would be quite meaningful.”
MSD members celebrate the incoming President via Zoom during the MSD Annual Meeting
brought it front and center. Now is the time when we need physicians to be happy and well, but unfortunately for many this is not the case.”
“The advent of the electronic medical record has been a real challenge and has led to doctors spending extra hours at work, at home, on weekends trying to input the required information,” explained Dr. Burday. “It has been a
Until then, he will follow in the big shoes of all the MSD Presidents who served before him with compassion, dedication, and the tireless desire to improve the practice of medicine for physicians and their patients in the First State.
CONTRIBUTORS
■ MARY S. FENIMORE is the Manager of Community Relations & Communications for the Medical Society of Delaware.
Del Med J | January/February 2021 | Vol. 93 | No. 1
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