This past year has been a most gratifying one for me, not because of any personal accomplishments, but because I have had the opportunity to witness the ways in which so many people have contributed to the Academy's goal of improved health for the nation's children. Everywhere I have gone—to meetings of national committees and medical groups, to discussions with government officials—I have found able pediatricians engaged in a variety of activities. All of these men and women seemed genuinely interested in their chosen role, whether it involved practice, research, administration, education, or community service. They expressed personal satisfaction in their work, and displayed a great dedication to the well-being of children. Meeting so many exceptional people has been the personal highlight of my term as president.I have been greatly impressed with the amount of dedication and goodwill within the pediatric community. Yet, I have also detected a certain uneasiness among pediatricians, indeed among physicians in general. There is a feeling that medicine is entering a crucial period, and difficult choices about future directions must be made. Not knowing which choices should be made lies at the heart of medicine's restlessness. After all, the light at the end of the tunnel could be the headlight of an onrushing train. As the poet W. H. Auden said, "It takes little talent to see clearly what lies under one's nose, a good deal of it to know in which direction to point that organ."One thing, though, is becoming increasingly clear.
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机译：过去的一年对我来说是最可喜的一年，这并不是因为个人的成就，而是因为我有机会目睹了许多人为学院改善国家儿童健康目标所做出的贡献。我到过的所有地方，包括国家委员会和医疗小组的会议，以及与政府官员的讨论，我都发现有能力的儿科医生从事各种活动。所有这些男人和女人似乎都对他们所选择的角色真正感兴趣，无论它涉及实践，研究，行政，教育或社区服务。他们对工作表示个人满意，并对儿童的福祉表现出极大的奉献精神。与这么多杰出人士会面一直是我担任总统期间的个人亮点。小儿科社区内的奉献精神和善意使我印象深刻。但是，我也发现儿科医生之间存在某种不安，实际上在一般医师中也是如此。感觉到医学正进入关键时期，必须对未来的方向做出艰难的选择。不知道应该做出哪些选择是医学不安的核心所在。毕竟，隧道尽头的灯光可能是猛烈火车的头灯。正如诗人奥登（W. H. Auden）所说：“几乎不需要什么才能清楚地看到一个人的鼻子下面是什么，而要知道将器官指向哪个方向也需要很多才能。”然而，越来越多的事情变得越来越清楚。
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