CHICAGO -- Nancy H. Nielsen, MD, PhD, a board-certified internist from Buffalo, N.Y., today was named president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA), the nation's largest and most influential physician organization.

Following a year-long term as president-elect, Dr. Nielsen will assume the office of AMA president in June 2008. She will be the second woman to hold the AMA's highest elected office.

"The American Medical Association's commitment to leadership, excellence and integrity are the bedrock of its pursuit of practical solutions to the nation's health care priorities," said Dr. Nielsen. "It is a deep honor and privilege to be named president-elect of an organization that is committed to helping our profession and the patients we serve."
Taking a leadership role with the AMA in 2000, Dr. Nielsen has served four consecutive annual terms as speaker of the House of Delegates, the AMA policy-setting body, and three consecutive annual terms as vice-speaker.

Dr. Nielsen has been an active contributor to AMA policy discussions and has held several important positions in the AMA. She currently represents the AMA on several quality initiatives, including the National Quality Forum, the AMA-convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement and the Ambulatory Care Quality Alliance.

A past member of the AMA's Council on Scientific Affairs, Dr. Nielsen has helped develop AMA policy on important health issues such as alcoholism among women, colorectal cancer screening and safety in dispensing prescriptions.

In addition to her work with the AMA, Dr. Nielsen is senior associate dean for medical education at University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and chief medical officer for Independent Health, a health insurance company headquartered in Buffalo, New York. Dr. Nielsen is also a member of the board of directors of the New York-based Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company, one of the largest medical liability carriers in the country.

Dr. Nielsen has long been active in health care issues important to New York. She was a trustee of the State University of New York, and a chief medical officer for the New York State Department of Health's Western Region. She has served as an officer with the Medical Society of the State of New York, the New York State Society of Internal Medicine and the Erie County Medical Society. Dr. Nielsen is a master of the American College of Physicians.

In 1969, Dr. Nielsen earned a doctorate in microbiology from the Catholic University of America. At the age of 29, after the birth of her fifth child, she entered medical school. She received her medical degree in 1976 from the University of Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.

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