Introducing AMA Honors: Recognizing leaders in healthcare

CHICAGO - The American Medical Association (AMA) today announced the launch of AMA Honors, a new national awards program recognizing individuals whose work is helping shape the future of healthcare.

Beginning in 2027, AMA Honors will present three marquee awards celebrating transformative innovation, public health leadership, and trusted communication. Each award includes a $25,000 prize that may be directed to the recipient or a charitable organization of their choice.

"Medicine is evolving at an extraordinary pace, driven by advances in technology, bold public health leadership, and trusted communication that helps patients make informed decisions," said AMA President Willie Underwood III, MD, MSc, MPH. "The AMA created these awards to recognize the individuals whose work is driving that progress and making a meaningful difference in the lives of patients and communities. By celebrating extraordinary achievement, these awards will shine a national spotlight on the leaders and ideas shaping the future of healthcare."

The awards include:

• Tech Innovator Award: Recognizing an individual whose innovation has advanced healthcare through transformative impact, real-world application, and a commitment to safety, trust, and transparency.
• Public Health Champion Award: Honoring impactful leadership that advances population health and improves health outcomes.
• Excellence in Communication Award: Recognizing an individual whose work has advanced public understanding, engagement, or perception of health and medicine through accurate, responsible communication that reaches broad audiences.

Award recipients will be selected by a six-person committee composed of AMA leaders and external members, who will evaluate nominations through a rigorous, independent review process using the published evaluation criteria.

The inaugural awards ceremony will be held Feb. 23, 2027, at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C., during the AMA National Advocacy Conference. The event will bring together award recipients and leaders from across medicine, public health, technology, and healthcare.

Nominations for the inaugural awards are now open and will be accepted through Nov. 2, 2026. To learn more about eligibility requirements and the nomination process, visit the AMA Honors web page.