Posers

Are you a morally upstanding individual? Do see cardiology patients once in a while? Do you have $300? Can you fill out this simple application?

If you do, it seems you can be "boarded" by the American Academy of Cardiology and wear the prestigious initials "F.A.A.C" behind your name, since you're now considered an "fellow" in the American Academy of Cardiology.

Don't worry if you're not a cardiologist, it doesn't matter. You'll look cool.

You see, it seems the American Academy of Cardiology and the American Board of Cardiology have noting to do with cardiology, the practice of cardiology, medical board certification, or the American College of Cardiology or the American Heart Association - rather, it's they're a "ministry" run by the questionable Rev. A Lasko, MD (as it says on the application). Or is it the questionable Rev. K. Lasko, MD? (as it says on the website?) Gee, I'm not sure. It probably doesn't matter since I could not find any such person to substantiate their existence. It seems his ministry is to spread cardiology to noncardiologists:

The American Academy of Cardiology under the new policy of expanding the specialty of Cardiology to the Internist-Cardiologist, considers that since it is the Internist who actually sees and manages the vast majority of cardiac patients, and under the belief of the new Director that Cardiology is not just the domain of the catheterists, the number of appointments of newly certified Diplomates of the American Academy of Cardiology needs to be expanded, to gain influence in American Medicine and to advance our mission to emphasize and to promote honor, ethics, and humanitarianism in Medicine, and emphasis on the kindness invoked in true religious values and true family values, for the benefit of the public and the advancement of the medical profession.

Just what we need. Someone nice enough to take our money to show the world we can feel good about ourselves as humanitarian souls.

Now if this "group" or individual wanted to promote honor, ethics, and humanitarianism, how about coming clean on this scam?

But it seems it doesn't stop there.

Not interested in cardiology? Want different initials after your name? How about F.A.C.G.S.? That's even longer! It stands for the "Fellow of the American College of Geriatrics Specialists." Here's the College of Geriatric's website with mailing address in Berkley, CA that issues this Board of Geriatrics "certification" and looks about as reputable as the American Academy of Cardiology and is issued by the same K. Lasko, MD. There's only one problem, though: for this extra letter it seems the "organization" (who, by the way, boasts 30 people on their "board" but I could not find their names) wants to set you back $500 rather than $300.

Now I tried to find out who the venerable Rev A. Lasko, MD D. Divinity (Hon), F.A.B.H.P., M.A.B.H.P., F.A.C.G.S., M.A.C.G.S., F.A.A.C. was behind the application. Guess what? I couldn't find this person anywhere on the internet, except these websites. There was only one "Lasko" in Nevada and one in Massachusetts, and neither appeared to be reverends.

But at least I found out what the M.A.B.H.P. stands for here.

-Wes

Hat tip: Gruntdoc.