Healing, Leading, Inspiring: Dr. Bobby Mukkamala’s Historic Rise to AMA Presidency

In a first in American Medical Association (AMA) history, Dr. Bobby (Srinivas) Mukkamala became the 180th president of the AMA, the first Indian American to lead the influential medical organization in its 178 years. The Flint, Mich.-based otolaryngologist began his presidency just months after a diagnosis that changed his life—a 8-cm brain tumor that required emergency surgery and an arduous recovery.

 

Dr. Mukkamala's own battle for optimal health only served to further his commitment to healthcare reform. In describing the moment in his Chicago inaugural address, he called the experience "awe-inspiring" and called for closing the gaps in the US healthcare system as soon as possible. He addressed the gaps that exist that reach into underserved communities, drawing on his many years of advocacy, including serving as chair of the AMA's Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force and battling the opioid epidemic.

 

A son of Indian immigrant doctors, Dr. Mukkamala credits his parents and his childhood in Flint for instilling his values. Together with his wife, Dr. Nita Kulkarni, he has made patient advocacy and community service his career goal, especially during the Flint water crisis.

 

Dr. Mukkamala's presidency is a wake-up call to equitable healthcare, physician advocacy, and reform of the medical system. His own transformation from patient to president is a powerful affirmation of resolve and the enduring promise of opportunity in American medicine.

 

Sources: Times of India, Fierce Healthcare, NDTV