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The History of the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society The Pacific Coast Reproductive Society was founded in 1947 with a small group of physicians, interested in reproduction, meeting in each others' homes to discuss fertility issues. This group lead by Abe Abarbanel, Sam Glass, Sheldon Payne, Edward Tyler and Gordon Rosenbloom, quickly grew in size to 35 - 40 doctors who organized themselves into the Los Angeles Fertility Society. Frequently doctors from neighboring areas attended the meetings. In 1952 Abe Abarbanel organized a Regional Meeting of the American Society of the Study of Sterility (later known as the American Fertility Society, now the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to spark interest in the parent society. The meeting, a huge success, was held at the old Cedars of Lebanon Hospital in Los Angeles. Anyone with an interest in reproduction (and $2) was welcome. The second regional meeting was held in Palm Springs in November, 1953 with a formal program featuring I.C. Rubin, MD as the guest speaker. The meeting was well attended and a strong interest was expressed by many West Coast members of the American Society for the Study of Sterility including John Hamlin, San Francisco, (President of the American Fertility Society, 1954-55), Pendleton Tompkins, Allan Palmer and James Whitelaw also of San Francisco; Robert Rutherford, Seattle; along with the Los Angeles contingent to have Western Branch and Annual Meetings. An organizational meeting was held in April 1954 at the San Francisco meeting of the American Society of the Study of Sterility. The 35 members in attendance, mostly members of the American Society of the Study of Sterility, signed the register as "charter members" of the Western Branch. Dr. Sheldon Payne was elected as the first president. The membership voted to hold annual meetings. The first formal meeting of the Western Branch was held in Palm Springs in November 1954 with Dr. John MacLeod as guest speaker. The second meeting of the "Western Branch" took place in November 1955. At this meeting members voted to change the name of the organization to the Pacific Coast Fertility Society. At the 1956 meeting the name Pacific Coast Fertility Society appeared on the program for the first time. In 1998 the decision was made to change the name to the Pacific Coast Reproductive Society, reflecting the more general interests of its current membership. Each year for the last 50 years the Society has presented increasingly sophisticated meetings highlighting cutting edge research in the study of what is now know as Reproductive Medicine and Infertility. Today the Society is noted for the high quality of its Continuing Medical Education program and its uniquely small size and intimate atmosphere where participants exchange information and discuss issues with leading experts in human reproduction from around the world.
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