Physicians are among the most highly regarded professionals in contemporary society. They are almost revered by their patients, and many of them have great influence on healthcare networks and infrastructure in their countries. For this reason, it is important that doctors and their organizations collaborate to support the health and wellbeing of people in the community. One of the ways they do this is through their membership in medical associations and societies.
A medical association is a professional organization or learned society that promotes the high standards of medical education, science and practice, and protects the interests of its members. It may also act on behalf of its members in public policy. It may publish scientific and other medical literature or organize conferences. A medical association is usually organized by geographical area, though it can be national or international in scope. It may have a central registry of physicians and have a centralized or delegated financial system.
In the United States, medical associations started emerging in the 18th century, with the first being the American Medical Association (AMA) founded in 1847. Since then, medical societies have sprung up across the country. The AMA has been the largest and most influential of these groups, but others have emerged to meet specific needs. Some have focused on a particular medical specialty, and others have focused on different aspects of the practice of medicine or patient advocacy.
Today, there are dozens of medical associations in the US, representing a variety of specialties and interests. Physicians have a wide range of concerns, from the cost of drugs to the effects of climate change on human health. They face an increasingly burdensome regulatory environment. They are experiencing burnout. And they are wasting too much time on administrative tasks, with only thirteen per cent of their eleven-hour workday spent in doctor-patient interaction.
To help them address these concerns, it is vital that doctors join their local, state and national medical societies and associations. They should also speak out on issues that affect their patients and the health of our communities. This is not to say that every doctor has the same views or opinions, but rather that doctors should be willing to stand up for their beliefs, and be able to articulate those beliefs to their colleagues and their patients.
As part of their mission to serve humanity, doctors should be able to communicate freely and cooperatively, with freedom from any form of interference, to achieve consensus on the highest international standards in Medical Education, Medical Science, Medical Art and Medical Ethics. This is the purpose of the World Medical Association (WMA), founded on 17 September 1947 as an independent confederation of free professional associations of physicians. The WMA strives to ensure the independence of its member associations and works to achieve global consensus on ethical principles and practices in health care. The WMA also provides moral guidance through its Declarations, Resolutions and Statements to national medical associations and governments worldwide.