Washington, June 13: Indian-origin physician Dr. Bobby Mukkamala was sworn in as the 180th president of the American Medical Association (AMA) on Tuesday, becoming the first physician of Indian heritage to lead the influential U.S. medical body.
Dr. Mukkamala, an otolaryngologist from Flint, Michigan, took the oath during the AMA’s annual meeting, marking a significant milestone for the nearly two-century-old organization.
“A few months ago, I didn’t know if this night would even be possible,” Mukkamala said, referencing his diagnosis last November with an 8-cm brain tumour. Despite the health setback, he assumed the leadership role after decades of service in organized medicine.
The son of two immigrant physicians from India, Mukkamala returned to his hometown of Flint to practice and serve the community that welcomed his family in the early 1970s. He played a central role in the response to the city’s water crisis, leading the Community Foundation of Greater Flint in supporting children affected by lead exposure.
A graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School and a residency alumnus of Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago, Mukkamala has held several senior positions at the AMA. He chaired the Council on Science and Public Health from 2016 to 2017, served on the AMA Board of Trustees since 2017, and currently leads the organization’s Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force.
Mukkamala is also a past recipient of the AMA Foundation’s “Excellence in Medicine” Leadership Award. The AMA, founded in 1847, is the largest professional association of physicians and medical students in the United States, influencing national health policy and medical ethics.
