Frequently Asked Questions
You can join online at any time on our secure site, or you can call AMA Member Relations at (800) 262-3211. Representatives are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
With the impressive savings and benefits AMA members receive, it’s only a matter of time before you’ve completely recouped your membership fees!
Most members receive full-text access (1998—present) to The JAMA Network and print subscriptions to JAMA and American Medical News as benefits of membership. Dues exempt, honorary, and affiliate members who do not currently receive JAMA or AMNews as a benefit of membership may contact AMA Member Relations at (800) 262-3211 for their special rate.
The AMA also offers discounts on coding resources, HIPAA tools, practice management books and more. With all these member savings, membership in the AMA is an easy financial decision to make.
Membership in the AMA is open to:
- Physicians who possess a U.S. doctor of medicine degree (MD) or doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO), or a recognized international equivalent.
- Resident physicians who are attending an accredited residency or fellowship program in the United States, Puerto Rico, Guam or the Virgin Islands.
- Medical students enrolled in educational programs provided by a college of medicine or osteopathic medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education or the American Osteopathic Association leading to a MD or DO degree. This includes those students who are on approved sabbatical, provided that the student will be in good standing upon returning from the sabbatical.
Regular practice physician
Physicians who have earned their doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathy degree and are residing in and practicing in the United States.
First- or second-year-in-practice physician
(Please see description above)
Military
Semi-retired physician
Physicians working 1-20 hours per week and at least 65 years of age.
Fully retired physician
Physicians of any age who are fully retired from the practice of medicine (working 0 hours per week).
Resident/fellow
Physicians serving in U.S. medical or osteopathic training or fellowship programs that are approved by the appropriate accrediting agency.
Medical Student
Student enrolled in a U.S. medical school or college of osteopathic medicine that is approved by the appropriate accrediting agency.
Physicians:
Annual regular membership $420
Annual regular membership - second year in practice $315
Annual regular membership - first year in practice $210
Annual regular membership - military physician $280
Residents and fellows:
Single-year membership $45
Three-year membership $120
Four-year membership $160
Retired physicians:
Fully retired (working 0 hours per week) $84
Semi-retired (working 1-20 hours per week) $210
Dues-exempt (renewing members who are fully retired and 65 years of age and older) $0
Students
Single-year membership $20
Two-year membership $38
Three-year membership $54
Four-year membership $68
All dues, regardless of category, are paid annually.
| Automatic renewal plan | All physician membership categories are eligible. Your designated account will be charged immediately for the full amount of your annual membership dues. Thereafter, you will receive a reminder notice each year on or about November 1. Your credit card will then be charged on or about January 1 of each year for AMA membership dues unless you cancel your authorization in writing by December 1 of the year prior. If you do not promptly cancel your authorization, your designated account will be charged for the next membership year. This option is not available to medical students, residents or fellows.If you are paying online or by phone, you may choose one of several credit card options. We accept MasterCard, Visa and American Express. If you submit your membership application and payment by mail, you may pay by credit card or check (make your check payable to: American Medical Association). |
| Single payment credit card options | All membership categories are eligible. Your designated account will be charged immediately for the full amount of your membership dues. |
| Single payment with automatic renewal | All physician membership categories are eligible. Your designated account will be charged immediately for the full amount of your annual membership dues. Thereafter, you will receive a reminder notice each year on or about November 1. Your credit card will then be charged on or about January 1 of each year for AMA membership dues unless you cancel your authorization in writing by December 1 of the year prior. If you do not promptly cancel your authorization, your designated account will be charged for the next membership year. This option is not available to medical students, residents or fellows. |
| Monthly installments with automatic renewal | All physician membership categories are eligible. Installment payments begin the month that the membership transaction is made and continue until paid in full by December 31. You will receive a reminder notice each year on or about November 1. Unless you cancel your authorization in writing by December 1 of the year prior, your designated account will be charged 1/12 of the annual membership dues beginning in January of each year. This option is not available to medical students, residents or fellows. |
Your membership dues notice will be sent to you directly from the AMA, rather than through your state/local medical society. By directly addressing the needs of our members, we can better communicate with you about important updates to your membership benefits.
We look forward to including you as a member!
You can join online at any time on our secure site, or you can call AMA Member Relations at (800) 262-3211.
Fully retired dues-exempt – If you are fully retired, 65 or older, and were an AMA member the previous year, you can qualify for a dues-exempt membership. This special category of membership entitles you to special member print subscription rates to JAMA, Archives and American Medical News, member access to The JAMA Network and all the other benefits of regular membership.
Yes, physicians practicing 1-20 hours a week and at least 65 years old can be a member of the AMA for $210. This includes all of the benefits of regular membership, including subscriptions to JAMA, American Medical News and AMA Morning Rounds and member access to The JAMA Network and amednews.com.
Only first-time residents can pay this special three-year membership rate. Any subsequent residencies will be assessed at the regular resident rate of $45 per year.
AMA membership is based on a calendar cycle, so all single-year memberships expire at the end of December. However, you may renew your membership as early as September or as late as March. If you do not renew by the end of March, your benefits of membership and Members-Only registration will be deactivated.
AMA dues are not deductible as a charitable contribution for federal income tax purposes, but may be partially deductible as a business expense.
Your membership should be posted within two weeks of receiving your information and payment, and you will receive a confirmation notice shortly after. You should receive your membership materials, which includes your membership card, approximately three weeks after your membership has been entered into our database. Allow six to eight weeks to receive your first issue of JAMA.
You may update change your information in several ways:
- Call AMA Member Relations at (800) 262-3211
- E-mail your changes (along with your name, birthdate, medical school and year of graduation) through our secure Contact Us form
- Visit the AMA Online Data Collection Center
Certain information pages on the AMA’s website is available exclusively to AMA members, and require a username and password for access. These pages contain information or tools that are part of the benefit of membership. Members-only pages are often designated with an icon.
All members can register for a members-only username and password. If you are a member and have already registered for a members-only username and password, just enter the information when prompted. If you have forgotten your password, you can choose the password creation program and choose a new password.
Currently, separate registration processes are required for the Members-only pages and full-text access to The JAMA Network. Steps are being taken to combine these processes.
For full-text access to The JAMA Network, the centralized hub for JAMA and Archives journal content, members and subscribers must create a username and password.
Members can access American Medical News (amednews.com) online with either a Members-only login or JAMA Network login — you must select the matching radio button when logging in. The mobile version of amednews.com is also available on your Palm or other handheld, or via your wireless Internet connection.
Members with questions about AMA benefits, products or services can call AMA Member Relations at (800) 262-3211. Or you can email a member relations representative at msc@ama-assn.org.
