Returning to the AMA Council on Medical Education: A New Chapter


This morning, I packed my bags for Chicago to attend the fall meeting of the AMA’s Council on Medical Education (CME). This will be my first council meeting in two years—a return to a group that has played an important role in my professional journey.
 
My candidate slide from November 2024 in Orlando, FL

I first served on the CME as a medical student during my first year of my PhD program (2013–2014). In the summer of 2020, I was re-elected to a three-year term representing the Resident and Fellow Section, serving until the summer of 2023. After a two-year hiatus, I decided to run again—this time for a traditional four-year seat.

My campaign would not have been possible without the help of several friends, especially Dr. Raymond Tsai, a colleague I’ve known for about 13 years through our shared involvement in the AMA. When I announced my candidacy in November 2024, Raymond volunteered to be my campaign manager. From that moment until the AMA’s summer meeting in June 2025, he met with me weekly, kept my interview schedule organized, introduced me to key decision-makers, and tirelessly advocated on my behalf. I am deeply grateful to him for helping me return to the council.

Last Friday, we held our first meeting of the CME Nominations Committee. We selected members for various Residency Review Committees and nominated candidates for the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), which accredits allopathic medical schools nationwide. Over the next few days, I’ll reconnect with longtime colleagues and friends on the council and dive into the important work ahead.

The CME has several core responsibilities:
  1. Writing reports for the AMA House of Delegates
  2. Nominating individuals to external organizations
  3. Maintaining relationships with stakeholder groups
  4. Providing testimony on medical education issues where our expertise can guide policy
These responsibilities align perfectly with my passion for academic medicine. Since joining the University of New Mexico as faculty in 2024, I’ve taught in the Doctoring 1A course for MS1s and a clinical reasoning course for MS2s. I’ve recently volunteered for the Curriculum Committee and the SOM Admissions Committee, and I hope to take on a larger leadership role in undergraduate and graduate medical education at UNM in the future.

I believe my renewed involvement with the AMA CME will deepen my skills and perspective, preparing me to make meaningful contributions both nationally and locally. In my ideal future, medical education will be a central part of my work as a faculty member. The next four years on the AMA CME will help make that possible.

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