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OUR GOAL: To help introduce the professionals to A.A.

The C.P.C. Committee carries the message of A.A.'s purpose to the professional (medical, legal, judicial, and religious) community through workshops, seminars, and various other activities.

Any A.A. member can participate in the CPC activities. We need members to be a part of this golden opportunity to introduce the professionals to A.A.

Any A.A. member with one year of sobriety can escort a medical student to an open A.A. meeting.

Call Intergroup (215) 923-7900 or visit the CPC Committee at 7:00pm on the 1st Monday of the month at the Intergroup office (444 No. 3rd Street, Suite #3E, in Philadelphia). If you are interested in volunteering, you can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .


GUIDELINES FOR UNESCORTED STUDENTS

1. You should make sure you attend an "open" meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous. An open meeting is so by group conscience. This means the members of that meeting have decided they wish to make the experience of AA meetings available to any interested party. You should not feel like an outsider, or that you are encroaching on some private event. Remember, the GROUP ITSELF has chosen to make the meeting an open meeting. You are welcome.

2. Generally, meetings serve coffee and often snacks, like cookies or cake. Help yourselves to these. Every meeting has a corresponding john. If you wish to use it, just ask for directions.

3. At the beginning of each meeting the chairman asks, "Is there anyone here for the first time?" The student should not respond to this question. If the student remains as unobtrusive as possible, he or she will have an enhanced opportunity to observe how a meeting really works. Thus the students should take seats near the back, refrain from taking notes, not identify themselves, and not participate in any way in the meeting.

4. We are self-supporting through our own contributions. Midway through the meeting the basket is passed for donations. When the basket comes to you, just pass it on as we do not accept outside contributions.

5. Each meeting closes with prayer, often the Serenity Prayer or the Lord's Prayer. These prayers are a closing ritual and have no religious significance. The members join hands and recite the prayer. You should feel free to join in this ritual if you wish. (Most students do.)

6. If the meeting involves reading from some text, usually the so-called big book "Alcoholics Anonymous or the book "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions", it is okay for the student also to read.

7. After the meeting, it is perfectly appropriate for you to approach anyone at the meeting, identify yourself as a student, if you wish, and engage in general conversation. If there is literature available, feel free to take it.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR THOSE STUDENTS ATTENDING ALONE:

AA meetings occur every day and night in every neighborhood in and   around Philadelphia. In order to find a meeting date, time, and   location, go to the excellent web site http://www.sepennaa.org   and choose the find a meeting. From there, choose the   location where you might wish to attend an AA meeting. For  Philadelphia, choose City of Philadelphia from the scroll down menu.   Then follow the remaining option prompts. You will want to choose   "Open Meeting Only" when prompted for choice of open or closed   meeting. There is a lot of interesting information on the web pages. There is a long tradition of medical students, both here and  at other institutions, attending AA meetings.

Here is additional specific information to help you make the most of your AA visit.

Dear student:

The information below which will assist you in enjoying the meeting you attend and in appreciating the resource that AA can offer for  those trying to deal with alcohol abuse in their personal lives. 

 1) The meetings you select should be OPEN meetings. This is  essential.  An open meeting is so by group conscience. This means the members  of that meeting have decided they wish to make the experience of AA  meetings available to any interested party.  You should not feel like an outsider, or that you are encroaching on  some private event. Remember, the GROUP ITSELF has chosen to make  the meeting an open meeting. You are welcome. Open meetings are  clearly marked in the website meeting list at  http://www.sepennaa.org.

 2) To avoid overwhelming the meeting, it is better if no more than three students attend at a time any given meeting.

 3) Generally, meetings serve coffee and often snacks, like cookies or cake. Help yourselves to these. Every meeting has a  corresponding john. If you wish to use it, just ask for directions.

 4) At the beginning of each meeting the chairman asks, "Is there  anyone here for the first time?" The student should not respond to  this question. If the student remains as unobtrusive as possible, he or she will have an enhanced opportunity to observe how a meeting really works.  Thus the students should take seats near the back, refrain from taking notes, not identify themselves, and not participate in any way in the meeting.

 5) We are self-supporting through our own contributions.  Midway through the meeting the basket is passed for donations.  When the basket comes to you, just pass it on.

 6) Each meeting closes with prayer, often the Serenity Prayer or the  Lord's Prayer. These prayers are a closing ritual and have no  religious significance. The members join hands and recite the  prayer. You should feel free to join in this ritual if you wish.  (Most students do.)

 7) If the meeting involves reading from some text, usually the  so-called big book "Alcoholics Anonymous," or the book, "Twelve  Steps and Twelve Traditions."  My belief is that it is OK for the  student also to read. I have not found any problems to arise from this practice.

 8) After the meeting, it is perfectly appropriate for you to approach anyone at the meeting, identify yourself as a student, if you wish, and engage in general conversation. If there is literature available, feel free to take it. 

Other factors being equal, it is preferable to attend a rather large meeting. There the variety of life-experience and experience in  sobriety is the more dramatic. As practicing physicians, you will encounter alcoholism in many desperate guises.  A large AA meeting will prepare you for this.