Biography

The Iowa State Medical Society Women's Auxiliary was organized in May 1929 by thirty-five wives of doctors belonging to the Society. They presented their case for a Woman's Auxiliary to the State Medical Society, which passed a motion establishing the auxiliary. The first official meeting of the Woman's Auxiliary was held in May 1930. The Auxiliary existed to advance health and health education, and to support medical families and healthy families through advocacy and volunteer work. Areas of focus have included traffic safety, safe communities, the depiction of violence in entertainment, mental health issues, and immunization drives. Encouraging young people interested in health-related careers was also one of the group's activities; the Auxiliary sponsored high school Future Nurses clubs and health-science career days. In the 1970s male spouses were allowed to join and the word "Woman's" was dropped from the organization's name. The American Medical Association Auxiliary became the American Medical Association Alliance in 1992, and the Iowa Medical Society Auxiliary followed its example in 1993, becoming the Iowa Medical Society Alliance. Membership was later opened to families, spouses of any gender, and physicians themselves.

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