Our History

For over 160 years the American Medical Association has promoted scientific advancement, improved public health, and invested in the doctor and patient relationship. AMA History is a rich narrative that demonstrates the important role the institution and its members have played in the development of medicine in the United States. Learn more about the AMA’s beginnings and its founder, Nathan Smith Davis, and use the timelines to follow the Association's history. Also available are listings of past meetings and AMA Presidents, and additional timelines documenting the histories of the AMA Council on Medical Education, Race and the AMA, Medical Ethics, and Women Physicians.

The AMA Archives, the memory of the American Medical Association, is composed of over fifty collections that document this rich history. Learn more about collection highlights, the popular Historical Health Fraud and Alternative Medicine Collection, and how to use the Archives. The AMA Digital Collection is a great resource for those interested in the Association’s history. It holds over 230 titles from the AMA Archives in full text, searchable format, and covers more than 160 years of AMA activities, policies and actions. Frequently Asked Questions contains more information about the AMA's history and archives.