An Interview with Nicholas S. Hill, MD ATS President-Elect
Q. Congratulations. You will officially succeed Dean Schraufnagel as ATS President this afternoon. Do you remember your first ATS meeting? Did you dare think that you might one day become President of the Society?
A. I remember my first ATS meeting very well. It was in Detroit, and what I remember most is my terror when I gave a slide talk on my submitted abstract. My note cards got mixed up and it took what seemed like an hour for me to reshuffle them. I don’t think anyone else really noticed, and I got several compliments on my presentation afterward. After recovering from my talk, I found the meeting very exciting, giving me the opportunity to meet many of the world’s leaders in my area of interest. The thought of eventually becoming ATS President seemed inconceivable to me at the time.
Q. You’ve been an ATS leader over many years. Has the Society changed much during that time and, if so, how?
A. It’s become larger and more international in scope. But in other ways it hasn’t changed much, and I very much enjoy working with staff that I’ve gotten to know quite well. The ATS has engendered great loyalty in its highly dedicated staff, so many of the faces haven’t changed over the years. Also, the International Conference remains just as exciting as my first one, attracting many of the world’s best scientists and leaders in pulmonary, critical care and sleep. I enjoy networking with and meeting such bright and enthusiastic people.
Q. What are some of your goals for the coming year?
A. We’re hearing a lot about how healthcare has to focus on patients, and one of my goals is to create more ties between our associated patient organizations and the ATS. I see a number of mutual advantages in the areas of advocacy, raising money for research and patient education. The Public Advisory Roundtable has been a great success for the ATS, interjecting a patient/public voice into what we do. This is its tenth anniversary and we need to celebrate that in a number of ways. Other goals are to sustain the initiative that Dean Schraufnagel began by redoubling the Society’s efforts to serve our membership, especially clinicians, and to explore ways of strengthening our relationships with industry.
Q. You’ve mentioned creating closer ties between the Society and three groups— clinicians, patients and industry. Can you give any specific examples of new ways of working with these important groups?
A. There are many ways we can strengthen ties with our PAR groups. We can coordinate our advocacy efforts. At a time when the NIH budget is under attack, we need to amplify our mutual voices to try to minimize the damage so that substantial funds continue to go into respiratory research. We can also work together to intensify efforts to educate the public about the importance of respiratory health. We can work together to raise funds for research from private sources, too. I’ve asked Dean to continue his work to increase the value of the organization for members. This includes facilitating networking opportunities and continuing to work on increasing the appeal of the annual meeting and the journals for clinicians and members generally. With regard to relations with industry, we need to bring industry and academic scientists together and encourage industry to help support educational endeavors and research in ways that are transparent and minimize the opportunities for bias. Working appropriately with industry, we come closer to achieving the ATS’s mission.
Q. You’ve worked to increase junior professionals’ representation on ATS committees. Why is this important to you?
A. Junior members are the future of the organization. We need to work hard to get them interested and engaged during their first meetings with us, just as was the case with me. Furthermore, the new ideas and energy that younger members bring are key to maintaining the ATS’s growth and vibrancy.
Q. You’re an accomplished researcher in two distinct areas—pulmonary hypertension and non-invasive ventilation—and you’ve worked closely with industry. Do you think there are ways a Society like the ATS, which is highly regarded for its scientific integrity, can collaborate effectively with industry?
A. Yes, I think the ATS not only can but must collaborate with industry. The interface between industry and medicine is where so many of our therapeutic innovations are conceived and tested. If we inhibit that relationship, medical progress is hindered and patients are deprived of potential new therapies. But this relationship has been under intense scrutiny recently, and we must manage it in a transparent and ethical manner—something that is essential not only for the health of the ATS, but also that of our industry partners.
Q. In recent years, the ATS has tried to provide information and support to members of the pulmonary, critical care and sleep communities about work-life balance issues. Do you have a plan or a secret for juggling all your responsibilities?
A. That will undoubtedly be my biggest challenge during my presidency. I’ll probably have to deal with some imbalances and sleep deprivation along the way, and my plan is to ask for my family’s forbearance. Nonetheless, I’m looking forward to a challenging and rewarding year that will undoubtedly pass quickly as I serve the highly committed members and staff of a truly outstanding organization.