John J. Whyte, MD, MPH

John J. Whyte, MD, MPH, serves as the CEO and executive vice president of the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest physician organization.

Prior to the AMA, Dr. Whyte served as the chief medical officer at WebMD, leading initiatives that expanded strategic partnerships, created new business opportunities, and positioned WebMD at the forefront of digital health innovation. He was a pivotal force in evolving WebMD’s digital platforms from content delivery engines to powerful tools connecting consumers directly to care, establishing critical new revenue models. He is a recognized leader in health care delivery and regulation and is consistently named as one of the Top 20 Health Influencers.

Before joining WebMD, Dr. Whyte served as director of professional affairs and stakeholder engagement at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. There, he spearheaded groundbreaking initiatives to modernize clinical trial design, expand diversity in research, and advance the regulatory use of real-world evidence—efforts that continue to impact patient-centered drug development today.

Earlier, as chief medical expert and vice president of health and medical education at Discovery Channel, Dr. Whyte launched educational programming that captured both medical and mainstream audiences, successfully aligning mission-driven health education with corporate funding strategies and building new multimedia brand identities.

At the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Whyte played a pivotal role in formalizing Medicare’s national coverage decision process, directly shaping payment policies and advancing innovative models to improve health care outcomes. His experience at CMS demonstrates a deep understanding of health policy, reimbursement strategies, and the critical intersection of clinical innovation and payment models.

A board-certified internist, Dr. Whyte completed his MD at Hahnemann University School of Medicine, his residency at Duke University Medical Center and earned his MPH in Health Policy and Management at Harvard University. He previously served as a health services research fellow at Stanford University. An accomplished author, Dr. Whyte has written extensively for both professional and consumer audiences, including five best-selling books.

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