
EMAIL
director@mocms.org

P.O. Box 3211
Bloomington, IN 47402
812-332-4033
Monroe Owen county Medical society
The Kinsey Institute is offering a CME opportunity in April 2023.
Gender Sexuality, and Medicine:
An Introduction to LGBTQIA+ Competent Care
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April 28-29, 2023
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Bloomington, IN
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In-person and online attendance options available
Visit knsy.in/cme for details.

Congratulations Dr. Cuddy!!
2022 American College of Surgeons (ACOS) Humanitarian Award recipient
SPREADING SUNSHINE
“น้ำขึ้นให้รีบตัก” is a Thai proverb that translates to “When the water rises, hurry to get some.” You may know a similar saying: Make hay while the sun shines.
Opportunities are only as good as what you do with them, as one IU Health Southern Indiana Physicians vascular surgeon knows very well. Born and raised in Thailand to a family of farmers, Duangnapa Cuddy, DO, has seen what it’s like to live without healthcare due to lack of access and funds.
Her humanitarian efforts to help others impacted by lack of healthcare were recently applauded by the American College of Surgeons (ACOS) as they named her their 2022 Humanitarian Award recipient.
Humbled by this recognition, Dr. Cuddy says it motivates and encourages her to continue her work, which all started when the shine of opportunity called in the form of moving to the United States. From there, she took her future in hand and went to school to become a doctor.
During her clinical training, Dr. Cuddy volunteered in rural community medicine in Arkansas and Virginia where she saw that significant discrepancies in medical distribution are alive and well, even in her new country.
Dr. Cuddy said, “We didn’t learn that in medical school. So, once I did know the reality, it was implanted into my mind. It became a mission of mine that when I grew up, I wanted to bring this knowledge to help people in the rural area of the US as well.”
Since then, Dr. Cuddy has finished her education and continued her humanitarian efforts by volunteering in rural areas in Colorado, Minnesota, Florida, West Virginia, and Indiana. Globally, her medical and surgical mission work has taken her to Cambodia, Nigeria, and Mexico.
Her goal for this work is to give others some sunshine through her medical expertise.
When speaking about her first international humanitarian mission in Cambodia, Dr. Cuddy said:
“When I was there, it was the first time I completely detached from all self-concerns and fully dedicated myself to other people. To experience that kind of feeling and the reciprocal kindness and appreciation from the patients—was beyond what I was expecting. It was divine, enlightening, and transcendent. Whenever I have some difficulty in life, I always go back to that moment.”
And her work does more than treat specific ailments or diseases. It inspires young people in the community to reach for their dreams.
“If you have your intention, you can always follow your dream,” said Dr. Cuddy. “You can achieve your dream, and once you do that, don’t forget to bring it back to the community, to the people.”
When she’s not helping with humanitarian efforts around the globe, Dr. Cuddy works as a vascular surgeon at IU Health Bloomington in Bloomington, Indiana.
“She is very dedicated,” said Brandi Young, RN. “She loves her work, and it shows.”
Young noted the surgeon puts time and effort into working with patients on conservative treatment plans instead of jumping straight to surgical options. And with her team, Dr. Cuddy is all about helping them grow.
“It’s definitely like, ‘I want you to come beside me. I want to teach you. Ask questions if you have questions,’” said Young. “It’s been a blessing to work with her.”
Young described Dr. Cuddy as very generous and always wanting to help others, which reflects in her continued humanitarian efforts. Comparing her volunteering to smaller pieces of a more significant humanitarian effort, Dr. Cuddy encourages others to help make a difference where they can.
“You may think, ‘Oh, this is not significant,’” Dr. Cuddy said. “But every single piece of the puzzle is important.”
And these efforts are offering sunshine to new generations.
“Eventually, the world will be a better place.”
Show the Love Campaign
This idea started with MOCMS past president, Dr. Laura Knudson asking other physicians in what ways can we show love to our hospital/healthcare workers and how could we deliver that love to them. This was presented to the MOCMS Board of Directors and after many ideas were shared, a plan was made. In February 2022, the current MOCMS president, Dr. Christal Greene, took the idea and ran with it. Another MOCMS board member suggested that we let all healthcare workers, including those within the hospital, in offices and other areas know that their hard work is noticed and appreciated, but also realizing reaching all workers would be nearly impossible. The decision was made to prepare bags with special items and dispense them around the different units of the hospital. With the help of a generous donation from the Bloomington Health Foundation, MOCMS was able to fill the bags with lotions, lip balms, hand sanitizer keychains, inspirational stickers, Kind bars, Extra gum, chocolate kisses, hand-written notes from physicians, and thank you notes from kids at Boys and Girls Clubs. On Valentine’s Day, IU Health team members delivered the bags to the various units. From the looks of the hospital workers in the photos, it appears the Show the Love gifts were appreciated! Thank you to all that helped make this gift of appreciation possible.


The Indiana Physician Coalition is a statewide alliance founded in 2020 that unites Hoosier physicians, residents and medical students. Its mission is to advocate for physician-led care that protects patients from harm, increases access to quality care and controls overall health care spending. Currently, the coalition is advocating for greater transparency in health care licensure and credentials and pushing back against inappropriate expansion of nonphysicians’ scope of practice. Learn more about the coalition at INphysicians.org and follow the coalition on Facebook and Twitter.
New MOCMS Bylaws and Articles of Incorporation
By Dan Lodge-Rigal, MD
Member of MOCMS Bylaws subcommittee
The Medical Society now has new and updated governance documents. In early 2021, the membership approved new Bylaws by electronic vote, and on March 22, 2021 Articles of Amendment were filed with the Indiana Secretary of State. The new Bylaws bring several important changes to the governance structure of the Society, while retaining its basic role as a membership organization.
No significant changes were made to the original Bylaws (Constitution) over the past 80+ years, except to welcome physicians of Owen County to the society in 1961, resulting in the renaming of the organization as the Monroe Owen County Medical Society. Early in 2019, the MOCMS Executive Committee decided to review the Bylaws. After consulting with an attorney, we determined that revisions were needed to better reflect the current operations and practices of the Society as a not-for-profit corporation and to create a governance structure consistent with other like-organizations.
Over a 2 year period, a subcommittee consisting of Drs. Carrie Davis, Tashera Perry, James Faris, and Dan Lodge-Rigal with assistance from MOCMS Director Susan Richardson and Associate Director Kim Rudolph, drafted the new Bylaws and Articles of Amendment. Drafts of the new documents were subject to multiple reviews by the Executive Committee, ISMA, and legal review. Following final approval by the Executive Committee, the documents were sent to all current MOCMS members for review, comment and voting which was completed on March 13, 2021.
A copy of the new Bylaws and spreadsheet of changes were circulated earlier to all members. If you have any questions or concerns, or need another copy to review, feel free to contact Susan Richardson at director@mocms.org. A separate document delineating specific details of administrative operations of the Society (Administrative Regulations) is currently being drafted and will be finalized this year.
Thanks to all who helped in drafting and revising the documents and all members who offered comments and voted for approval. May these new documents serve the physicians of Monroe and Owen County as well for the next 80 years!

CONGRATULATIONS DR. TASHERA PERRY!
Dr. Tashera Perry was one of 5 women recently honored by the Bloomington Commission on the Status of Women with the 2020 Women's Achievement Award and one of 2 women to be named Woman of the Year for her dedication to women’s health. Dr. Perry, a physician with IU Health has been practicing obstetrics and gynecology since 2015, serves as staff physician and Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology for the Indiana University School of Medicine, Medical Science Program, and is an advocate for women’s health in a variety of positions both locally and nationally. Dr. Perry has served as Clinical Informatics Physicians Advisor, physician sponsor for the OB/GYN Clinical Effectiveness Council, and as representative for the Women’s CORE uplift
Governance Council. On a state and national scale, she serves as Fellow for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists; member of the American Medical Association; representative for the Indiana State Medical Society; and ISMA Delegate for the Monroe Owen County Medical Society.
Dr. Perry also sits on the Monroe Owen County Medical Society executive committee.
MOCMS NEWSLETTERS
The Monroe Owen County Medical Society (MOCMS) newsletter is published each spring, summer and fall by approval of the Executive Committee. The MOCMS newsletter accepts submissions of articles, announcements, obituaries, and editorials related to the interest of our members. Materials submitted for consideration should be typed and sent in a Word document. The MOCMS reserves the right to edit all articles submitted. MOCMS retains final editorial judgement regarding newsletter content. It reserves the right to reject articles, announcements, letters, advertisements and other items that do not correspond with the goals and purposes of the organization.
The information contained in the newsletter is believed to be correct and accurate. Unless specifically stated otherwise, the opinions expressed in any article, advertisement or column are those of the individual author and do not represent an official position of, or endorsed by, the Monroe Owen County Medical Society, its officers, staff, or Executive Committee.
Check out our latest newsletters:
December 2022
September 2022
April 2022
ISMA is Indiana's largest physician organization, and your participation is crucial to making sure the Hoosier State remains a favorable place to practice medicine. Membership gives physicians a voice in shaping policy and laws at the state and national levels, as well as opportunities to network with other physicians and health care officials. Stay up-to-date on news and legislation by going to ismanet. org.
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