Abbreviation AMA | Formation 1962 | |
 | ||
Motto "pro genere humano concordes" (all as one for mankind) Predecessor British Medical Association Purpose representing medical doctors and students | ||
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is the professional association for Australian doctors and medical students. The association does not regulate or certify doctors, a responsibility which lies with the Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Agency. The association’s national headquarters are located in Barton, Australian Capital Territory, in addition to the offices of its branches in each of the states and territories in Australia.
Contents
Aims and Objectives
The AMA has a range of representative and scientific committees and one of its stated aims is "leading the health policy debate by developing and promoting alternative policies to those government policies that the AMA considers poorly targeted or ill-informed; responding to issues in the health debate through the provision of a wide range of expert resources; and commissioning and conducting research on health issues.".
Organisation structure
The AMA uses a representative structure involving state branches and committees to work with members to promote and protect the interests of doctors.
The mechanisms that allow this include:
The AMA supports patient care by serving the medical profession across a broad range of services, including:
History
The British Medical Association, founded in England in 1832 to promote both the study of medicine and protection of the medical profession, established branches in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria in 1879-80. The New South Wales branch, under its founding president Sir Arthur Renwick, replaced the earlier "Australian Medical Association" formed in Sydney by Dr William Bland in 1859. The BMA Branches of the Australian states and territories formally merged into the Australian Medical Association in 1962.
Presidents
- Cecil Colville (1962–1964)
- Angus Murray (1964–1967)
- Clarence Rieger (1967–1970)
- Roderick Macdonald (1970–1972)
- Gavin Johnson (1972–1973)
- Keith Jones (1973–1976)
- Rupert Magarey (1976–1979)
- Lionel Wilson (1979–1982)
- Lindsay Thompson (1982–1985)
- Trevor Pickering (1985–1988)
- Bryce Phillips (1998–1990)
- Bruce Shepherd (1990–1993)
- Brendan Nelson (1993–1995)
- David Weedon (1995–1996)
- Keith Woollard (1996–1998)
- David Brand (1998–2000)
- Kerryn Phelps (2000–2003)
- Bill Glasson (2003–2005)
- Mukesh Haikerwal (2005–2007)
- Rosanna Capolingua (2007–2009)
- Andrew Pesce (2009–2011)
- Steve Hambleton (2011–2014)
- Brian Owler (2014–2016)
- Michael Gannon( 2016–present)