CHICAGO -- William G. Plested III, MD, a thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon from Brentwood, Calif., becomes the 161th president of the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest and most influential advocate for physicians and the patients they serve.

In his inaugural address, Dr. Plested pledged to join the nation's physicians and patients in a combined effort to design the future of American medicine. "The medical profession is witnessing a combination of circumstances favorable for fundamental change," said Dr. Plested. "America's patients and physicians are the ones to lead that change."

A former chair of the AMA Board of Trustees, Dr. Plested has been an AMA member for the last 33 years. He was first elected to the AMA Board of Trustees in 1998 and has served on and chaired the Finance Committee. He supported the creation of the Business Advisory Task Force and served as its first chair.


Dr. Plested's involvement in organized medicine began in the 1970's. He is a former president of the California Medical Association and the Los Angeles County Medical Association. He is a member of the American College of Surgeons, American Society of General Surgery, Pacific Coast Surgical Association, Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery, Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Western Thoracic Surgical Association.

Dr. Plested has had a private practice in Santa Monica, Calif since 1970. In addition to meeting the demands of a busy practice, Dr. Plested trains young physicians as a clinical professor of thoracic surgery at UCLA School of Medicine.

After completing an undergraduate degree at the University of Colorado, Dr. Plested obtained his medical degree from the University of Kansas Medical School. He completed surgical training at the UCLA School of Medicine.

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