The American Medical Association members voted for New Mexico oncologist Dr. Barbara McAneny as their president-elect during the organization's annual House of Delegates meeting in Chicago on Tuesday.
McAneny will assume the role of president of the nation's largest doctor organization in 2018 when she succeeds current president-elect Dr. David Barbe, a family physician from Missouri, after his one-year term ends.
Barbe will be inaugurated as AMA president on Tuesday, taking over from current AMA president Dr. Andrew Gurman.
"It is a deep honor and privilege to be elected a leader of an organization that is committed to serving as a strong physician voice and a dedicated patient advocate," McAneny said in a statement. "The AMA will play a pivotal role in the changing healthcare environment as our nation confronts pressing healthcare issues. With vision and perseverance, I look forward to creating a brighter future for patients and the medical profession."
McAneny has been a member of the AMA's Board of Trustees since 2010, serving as its chair from 2015 to 2016. She was a member of the board of directors for the American Society of Clinical Oncology from 2005 to 2008, and served as president of the New Mexico Medical Society in 2000.
