AMA 2017: Barbara McAneny wins AMA presidential election

Barbara McAneny, MD, is the new president-elect of the American Medical Association, winning the vote at the AMA’s annual meeting for a one-year term beginning in June 2018.

McAneny co-founded and serves as CEO for New Mexico Oncology Hematology Consultants Ltd, a multi-disciplinary oncology practice. She was also served as managing partner of the New Mexico Cancer Center since 1999 and founded the New Mexico Cancer Center Foundation, which provides grants to patients for nonmedical expenses.

She first became a delegate to the AMA in 2002, representing the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO). She served as chair of the AMA Board of Trustees in 2015 to 2016. Other association positions she’s held included ASCO board member and president of the New Mexico Medical Society, the Greater Albuquerque Medical Association and the New Mexico Chapter of the American College of Physicians.

“It is a deep honor and privilege to be elected a leader of an organization that is committed to serving as a strong physician voice and a dedicated patient advocate,” McAneny said in a statement. “The AMA will play a pivotal role in the changing health care environment as our nation confronts pressing health care issues. With vision and perseverance, I look forward to creating a brighter future for patients and the medical profession.”

McAneny graduated from the University of Iowa College of Medicine in 1977, completing her internal medicine residency at the school in 1980. She completed her fellowship in hematology/oncology at the University of New Mexico in 2003.

She beat out Stephen Permut, MD, chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at Temple University School of Medicine, in the race for president-elect.

The election also resulted in three new members being added to the AMA Board of Trustees:

  • Ryan Ribeira, MD, a practicing resident physician at Stanford University.
  • Karthik Sarma, MS, a dual degree candidate is in the medical science program at the University of California, Los Angeles.
  • S. Bobby Mukkamala, MD, an otolaryngologist from Michigan.
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John Gregory, Senior Writer

John joined TriMed in 2016, focusing on healthcare policy and regulation. After graduating from Columbia College Chicago, he worked at FM News Chicago and Rivet News Radio, and worked on the state government and politics beat for the Illinois Radio Network. Outside of work, you may find him adding to his never-ending graphic novel collection.

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