CHICAGO – The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced the hiring of Sanjay Desai, M.D., as its new Chief Academic Officer and Group Vice President of Medical Education. Dr. Desai joins the AMA after serving most recently as Myron L. Weisfeldt Professor of Medicine, Director of the Osler Medical Residency, and Vice Chair for Education at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. In these roles, Dr. Desai led the development of innovative programs, curricula, and research aimed at improving medical student and resident well-being, ensuring physicians-in-training are better prepared to navigate health systems, and enrolling more medical trainees from groups underrepresented in medicine.

“With his vast experience at the forefront of medical education innovation, Dr. Desai will be an excellent addition to the AMA team to help lead the next phase of our efforts to drive the future of medicine by reimagining medical education, training, and lifelong learning,” said James L. Madara, M.D., AMA Chief Executive Officer and Executive Vice President. “We also thank Susan Skochelak, M.D., for dedicating more than a decade to the AMA. During her tenure, Dr. Skochelak created the AMA Accelerating Change in Medical Education initiative and guided nearly $40 million in partnership grants to develop innovations aimed at transforming medical education. Dr. Skochelak also led the creation of Health Systems Science as the new 3rd pillar of physician education, was the editor and author for two editions of the Health Systems Science textbook, and served as senior leader for the Council on Medical Education and Liaison Committee for Medical Education.”

“I am excited to join the AMA team and build on the efforts underway to ensure medical students, residents, and practicing physicians are equipped to provide the best care for patients in the rapidly-evolving health care environment, increase diversity in the physician workforce, and work on behalf of America’s physicians to improve the health of the nation,” said Sanjay Desai, M.D.

In addition to serving for more than a decade in a variety of medical education roles at Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Desai simultaneously cared for patients as an attending physician in the medical ICU at the Johns Hopkins Hospital—most recently during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prior to his work at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Desai served as Associate Program Director for both the Internal Medicine Residency Program and the Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Fellowship at Georgetown University Washington Hospital Center.

Dr. Desai also served as a management consultant for several years before and during his medical training, an experience that helped him create a fellowship in health systems management, and a new medical student curriculum while at Johns Hopkins. The curriculum forms “consulting teams” of students who are tasked with solving problems across the health system.

Dr. Desai earned both a B.S. in bioengineering and economics from the University of Pennsylvania and earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Desai completed his residency, chief year, and a fellowship in pulmonary and critical care medicine at the Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Dr. Desai will join the AMA effective September 30.