For 80 years, National Medical Fellowships (NMF) has worked from a simple but powerful premise: Talent is everywhere, even though opportunity is not.
That premise remains as critically important today as it was when NMF was founded in Chicago in 1946. This year, the organization will mark that legacy with its 80th Anniversary Homecoming, Oct. 1-4 in Chicago.
But this event is about so much more than looking back. It reminds us that NMF’s mission is as vital today as ever, and that building the future of health care will require all of us.
Our nation faces physician shortages and persistent gaps in access to care. At the same time, too many talented people still encounter financial, educational and other barriers on the path to becoming physicians and other health professionals.
That is not simply a workforce problem; it is a pathway problem. The future of care depends on who gets the opportunity, support and education to become physicians and healthcare professionals, and where they eventually serve patients.
Investing in results
NMF has spent eight decades working to expand those pathways, providing more than $45 million to more than 32,000 students underrepresented in medicine. Its work goes beyond financial support, helping students build community and belonging, strengthening partnerships with institutions that educate health professionals, and advancing opportunities for people from communities that have historically been excluded from healthcare.
That matters because an investment in one student can become an investment in an entire community.
A scholarship can help someone reach medical school. Mentorship can help them stay on course. Education can lead to a career. And a career in healthcare can mean more physicians, stronger relationships with patients and better access to care in communities that need it most.
The impact multiplies.
NMF’s mission also recognizes that improving health equity requires more than increasing the number of physicians. The organization works to increase the number of researchers and investigators from underrepresented communities leading clinical trials, and to diversify participation in clinical research so that its findings better serve all populations.
AMA-NMF partnership
This is just one example of how NMF’s mission aligns with that of the AMA. We believe the cost of a medical education should never be a barrier to a career in medicine. We advocate for stable funding for medical education, strive to reduce the financial burdens facing medical students and residents, and support efforts to strengthen the physician workforce.
We also recognize that a stronger workforce must be one that can meet the needs of patients and communities across the country.
That shared commitment is at the heart of the AMA’s partnership with NMF: removing barriers, expanding opportunity and helping more people from more communities pursue careers in healthcare.
The AMA is proud to stand with NMF as a sponsor and partner. Our relationship spans more than a decade, and this year’s AMA sponsorship is our most generous yet. Our continued support reflects our respect for the work that NMF has done, and our belief that its mission is an essential part of achieving optimal health for all.
Celebration and anticipation
NMF’s 80th anniversary gives us an opportunity to honor what has been accomplished while charting our course forward.
We need to keep finding talented people who may never have imagined a career in healthcare was possible. We need to provide the financial support, mentorship and educational opportunities that help them succeed. We need to continue to work together to build a healthcare system where they can use their skills to serve patients and strengthen their communities.
The work is not finished. And the need is real.
For 80 years, NMF has shown what is possible when talent meets opportunity. That is a commitment the AMA shares. Together, we can keep opening pathways into healthcare, strengthening the workforce, and building a future where everyone has access to the care they need.
