
The American Medical Association Young Physicians Section (AMA-YPS), representing a quarter of all practicing physicians, focuses on the concerns of those physicians under 40 years of age or within the first eight (8) years of professional practice after residency and fellowship training. The AMA-YPS' major goal is to strengthen the value of AMA young physician membership by (1) enhancing young physician practice of medicine, including the transition into practice; (2) facilitating the participation of young physicians in policy development and other activities of the AMA and the Federation; and (3) promoting young physician leadership throughout organized medicine.
The AMA-YPS works hard to attract young physicians to the AMA and organized medicine. More than 35,000 young physicians belong to the AMA. The AMA-YPS also is constantly working with the AMA to develop products and services of interest to young physicians. A vital membership outreach program utilizes young physicians to recruit their colleagues.
The AMA-YPS helps to develop and carry out policy that will allow physicians to accomplish their highest goal: to provide the best care for their patients. Young physicians need to be particularly active in this venue, given that they will practice medicine well into the next century, and changes in our health care delivery system will have vast effects on them.
The AMA-YPS Assembly, consisting of representatives from each state and nearly 40 specialty societies, meets twice each year in conjunction with the AMA House of Delegates. The Assembly considers resolutions and reports on policy issues, especially those of concern to young practicing physicians, and elects a seven-member Governing Council, which directs the section's affairs.
Finally, promoting young physician leadership is a long-term aim of the YPS. The section was formed in 1986 specifically to increase leadership opportunities for young physicians and to train them for future leadership within organized medicine. The process of getting young physicians into the mainstream is a long one, but the AMA-YPS can count several successes in this effort.
If you have questions about the Section, need to know where to get information, or comments about how this website can be improved, e-mail the YPS.
We are here to meet the needs of you, our young physician members.