by Dr. Tony Geroulis and Dr. Robert Jackson

On June 7, Tony Geroulis, MD, and Robert F. Jackson, MD, attended the American Medical Association (AMA) 2020 Annual Meeting as the AACS Delegate and Alternate Delegate. Here is their full report from the event. In addition to the June 7 meeting, Dr. Jackson chaired the Section Council of Plastic, Reconstructive, and Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery’s interview session on Saturday, May 30.

The AMA 2020 Annual Meeting was held in a virtual fashion, due to the COVID pandemic, and much of the House’s usual business was shifted to the November Interim Meeting. The Speaker and Vice Speaker of the House did a superb job of making the meeting run smoothly.

Dr. Geroulis and Dr. Jackson collaborated on their votes. Dr. Geroulis was able to vote on all of the resolutions and candidates. Most of their AMA Board of Trustees candidates were elected. There was a contested election for members of the Council on Medical Services. Lynn Jeffers, MD, from our Section Council was elected in addition to Steven Chan, MD, MBA, a breast surgeon who is currently chair of the Surgical Caucus.

During the virtual meeting, Susan Bailey, MD, a pediatric allergist from Texas, was inaugurated as the new President of AMA. She is the third consecutive woman to hold the office and a good friend of Drs. Geroulis and Jackson. The meeting concluded with an instructive town hall meeting on the COVID-19 pandemic. Physicians currently serving on the front lines were thanked.

AACS maintains its representation in the AMA House of Delegates because of you. Please take a few moments to make sure your AMA membership is up-to-date and that you have designated cosmetic surgery as your specialty.