CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest physician organization, announced the election of Pratistha Koirala, M.D., Ph.D., a Nepal-born Connecticut and Bronx-trained physician and Ph.D. in molecular pharmacology, to its Board of Trustees Resident and Fellow seat.
“I am honored to be chosen by my colleagues to represent them on the Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Koirala. “Over the past year, viewing medicine through the lens of the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted areas of health care where changes are needed. As a physician scientist, I understand the power that our AMA has as the trusted voice in medicine and public health. As we strive to recover from the pandemic and the impact it had on both physicians and trainees, we must also strive for equity in medicine—how to fairly distribute vaccines, address social determinants of health, and increase access to affordable health care. By rising to meet these challenges, physicians continue to earn patient trust, which ultimately stems from our commitment to science and data.”
Born in the foothills of Nepal, Dr. Koirala’s personal experiences as an immigrant and her professional experiences working with underserved individuals are reflective of the deep value she places on diversity and equity in medicine. For example, in 2016, after a fellow medical student confided their DACA status and fear of deportation to her, she worked to write and pass an emergency resolution within the AMA House of Delegates, ultimately leading to the strong pro-DACA policies of the AMA.
Dr. Koirala joined the AMA as a medical student in the Bronx and has held multiple leaderships roles at the state and national levels, including the Executive Council of the Medical Society of the State of New York. She is currently the resident and fellow member of the AMPAC Board of Directors.
Dr. Koirala earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut and became an M.D.-Ph.D. candidate at Albert Einstein Medical College in 2009. Her doctoral research, with a special focus on pediatrics and molecular pharmacology, sought to develop novel therapies for a type of bone cancer known as osteosarcoma.
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About the American Medical Association
The American Medical Association is the physicians’ powerful ally in patient care. As the only medical association that convenes 190+ state and specialty medical societies and other critical stakeholders, the AMA represents physicians with a unified voice to all key players in health care. The AMA leverages its strength by removing the obstacles that interfere with patient care, leading the charge to prevent chronic disease and confront public health crises and, driving the future of medicine to tackle the biggest challenges in health care.
