Profession

AMA Annual Meeting: A guide to the House of Delegates

■ The visual guide will walk you through how AMA policy is made and who is behind the decision-making.

Posted June 11, 2007

ANNUAL MEETING 2007
» Our coverage
» AMA official proceedings

WITH THIS STORY:
» Board of Trustees
» Reference committees
» AMA councils

Physicians from 50 states, the District of Columbia and three U.S. territories will converge on Chicago June 23-27 for the American Medical Association's 156th Annual Meeting. The house, which will meet at the Hilton Chicago, is the Association's principal policymaking body. It meets twice a year.

American Medical News has assembled this reference guide to the composition of the House of Delegates. The pdf version has a flowchart breaking down the inner workings of the house as well as a seating diagram of the delegations.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Board of Trustees

The 21-member board is responsible for transacting all business for and on behalf of the Association, including managing the Association's assets.

Key AMA officers

President
President-elect
Immediate past president
Speaker and vice speaker
Chair of the Board of Trustees
Executive vice president

Reference committees

Resolutions and reports are funneled through one of 11 committees, making committee meetings home of some of the biggest debates. Any AMA member physician may speak on an item. All AMA members, guests, official observers, interested outsiders and the media can sit in on the hearings. Committees J, K and L meet only at the Interim Meeting.

	Responsibility
A	Medical Service
B	Legislation
C	Medical Education
D	Public Health
E	Science and Technology
F	AMA Finance; AMA Governance
G	Medical Practice
J	Advocacy in the Public Sector
K	Advocacy in the Private Sector
L	Legislation
Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws	Constitution; Bylaws, Ethics

AMA councils

Council on Constitution and Bylaws Fact-finds and advises on issues related to the AMA Constitution and Bylaws.

Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs Interprets the Principles of Medical Ethics and the AMA's Constitution and Bylaws, serving as the AMA's judicial authority.

Council on Legislation Looks at all AMA legislative issues, which are channeled through the committee before the Board of Trustees' final consideration.

Council on Long-Range Planning and Development Makes recommendations on the AMA's long-range objectives, studies and reports on anticipated changes in the medical practice environment, and identifies ways to enhance the AMA's policymaking processes.

Council on Medical Education Studies, evaluates and makes recommendations concerning medical and allied health education.

Council on Medical Service Studies and evaluates the social and economic aspects influencing the practice of medicine and suggests means for developing services in a changing socioeconomic environment.

Council on Science and Public Health Advises on developments in the scientific aspects of medicine and biomedical research and assists in developing policy positions on scientific and biomedical research issues.