NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD was named on Saturday as the president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA). She will assume the office of AMA president in June, 2008.
Dr. Nielsen, an internist from Buffalo, New York, earned her doctorate in microbiology from the Catholic University of America, and her medical degree in 1976 from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
Since then, Dr. Nielsen has been active both inside and outside of the AMA. She has served multiple roles for the AMA, including speaker of the House of Delegates, vice-speaker, and representative on the National Quality Forum.
In her work at the AMA’s Council on Scientific Affairs, Dr. Nielsen helped develop AMA policy on issues such as alcoholism among women, colorectal cancer screening and safety in dispensing prescriptions.
In addition to her work with the AMA, Dr. Nielsen is senior associate dean for medical education at her alma mater and was a trustee of the State University of New York. She is currently a master of the American College of Medicine.
"The American Medical Association’s commitment to leadership, excellence and integrity are the bedrock of its pursuit of practical solutions to the nation’s health care priorities," Dr. Nielsen said in an AMA press release. "It is a deep honor and privilege to be named president-elect of an organization that is committed to helping our profession and the patients we serve."
