National Medical Association: Positively Impacting Health Care and Medical Education

The National Medical Association (NMA) – the oldest and largest professional organization representing African-American physicians and their patients – aims “to advance the art and science of medicine for people of African descent through education, advocacy, and health policy to promote health and wellness, eliminate health disparities, and sustain physician viability.” NMA was founded in 1895 during an era in U.S. history when the majority of African-Americans were disenfranchised. The organization’s original premise was to give a voice to physicians of African descent who desired to play an influential role in determining medical policy but had been excluded from doing so, given their repeated denied admission to the American Medical Association and its affiliated local medical societies. A main priority for NMA in its early years of operation was to provide a forum wherein African-American physicians could advocate for health concerns related to African-Americans and other medically underserved populations. Over...