Susan Rudd Bailey, MD, an allergist from Fort Worth, was unanimously elected Saturday by the American Medical Association House of Delegates to be the next AMA president.
“Challenging times remain for our health care system,” she told the delegates after they elected her by acclamation. “As AMA president-elect, I pledge to serve as a strong voice and dedicated advocate for patients and physicians on the pressing health care issues confronting our nation. Thanks to all of you, and let’s get to work!”
Dr. Bailey has led organized medicine since her days as a medical student in the charter class at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine. For the past eight years, she has served as vice speaker and then speaker of the AMA House. She has been president of the Texas Medical Association and speaker of the TMA House. She was president of the Tarrant County Medical Society and speaker of the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology House of Delegates.
“The name Susan Rudd Bailey is synonymous with Texas medicine and the Texas Medical Association,” Texas Delegation Chair David Henkes, MD, said as he placed Dr. Bailey’s name in nomination. “Sue has held all the prestigious offices.”
When she takes office in June 2020, Dr. Bailey will be the sixth Texas physician to serve as AMA president. She will be the first woman physician to be both TMA president and AMA president. She will be the
sixth woman physician – and the third in a row – to lead the AMA.
“Let me be the first to tell the world, for the first time in history, the president-elect, the president, and the past president of the AMA will be women,” she said. “And it won’t be the last.”
Dr. Bailey is an honor graduate of the A&M College of Medicine. She completed her residency and fellowship training at the Mayo Graduate School of Medicine. Dr. Bailey has been in private practice at Fort Worth Allergy & Asthma Associates since 1988. She is a mother and grandmother, and is married to Fort Worth attorney Doug Bailey.
Last Updated On
June 10, 2019
Originally Published On
June 08, 2019