The challenges you face as an African American physician are staggering. African American physicians treat more African American patients, more poor patients, and sicker patients than most other physicians. With the resurgence of old diseases and the resistance of newer ones, escalating health care costs, changes in the crucial health programs and health delivery systems, and little improvement in the overall health status and mortality of African Americans...now, more than ever, the NMA is hard at work supporting your interests.

An Ever-Present National Force in Medical Science, Medical Education and Medical Practice

Representing the interests of more than 30,000 African American physicians and the patients they serve, with nearly 112 affiliated societies throughout the nation and U.S. territories, the National Medical Association has been firmly established in a leadership role in medicine.

Your membership support in the National Medical Association works for you and is an investment in your livelihood and the lives of your patients!

The NMA mission is straightforward and clear — to be the nation’s voice for parity and justice in medicine and the elimination of disparities in health. Toward that end, the combined resources provided by NMA members are applied to:

Develop a strenuous program in continuing medical education (CME) to ensure that NMA members remain abreast of rapidly occurring advances across the various medical specialties.

Conduct the annual NMA Convention and Scientific Assembly. Nearly every year since its founding in 1895, the NMA has held this assembly, whic h is regarded as the nation’s foremost forum on medical science and African American health. The NMA is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to sponsor continuing medical education.

Through the presentation of CME programs at the national and regional conventions as well as at state and local society meetings, NMA members are able to meet Category 1 requirements for the Physician’s Achievement Award of the NMA and the Physician’s Recognition Award of the American Medical Association (AMA). The NMA offers CME programs in 23 specialties — from Aerospace Medicine to Urology. Forty-five (45) of the 50 Category 1 credits required for licensure in 23 states can be earned at the NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly alone!

Advocate for national health policies that improve the quality and availability of health care, particularly to African American and other minority and underserved populations.

Since its founding, NMA has served as the conscience of the medical profession. The National Medical Association took the lead in the creation of the federal Medicare and Medicaid programs years ago. Recently, NMA was at the forefront of the struggle to avert a national health calamity in the reformation of these programs, once again.

Conduct public education to prevent health problems and promote healthy lifestyles among African American and other minority and underserved populations.

NMA has conducted national consumer awareness programs in cancer, women’s health, radon, secondhand smoke, smoking cessation and immunizations. Further, the work of the NMA and its members has received national exposure on NBC, ABC, FOX and CNN television stations, as well as numerous radio and major print media each year.

Support scholarly exchange of scientific and clinical knowledge to identify and facilitate new directions in medicine.

The Journal of the National Medical Association (JNMA), first published in 1909, now has a circulation of more than 25,000. Over 1,000 scientific sessions are offered at the NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly and numerous other programs are offered nationwide on topics of major import to NMA members.

Promote and support biomedical research that contributes to the advancement of knowledge and treatment of diseases, disabilities and adverse health problems that disproportionately or differentially affect African American and other minority populations.

The National Medical Association has established a broad research agenda that includes all of the major diseases, disabilities and adverse health conditions that have a greater impact on African Americans and other minorities than the general population—cancer, diabetes, AIDS, cardiovascular disease, violence, environmental health, and others.

Facilitate an increase in the representation and recognition of African Americans and other underrepresented minorities in medicine.

The need for NMA is as great now as it was when it was founded more than 100 years ago. WE NEED YOU IN THE VANGUARD!