Dr. Jesse Ehrenfeld will become the first openly gay president of the American Medical Association (AMA) when he assumes his one-year term on June 13. Ehrenfeld takes over at a difficult time for healthcare in the United States, with transgender patients and those seeking abortion care facing restrictions in many places, and state laws overriding physicians’ medical judgment.
In recent years, the AMA has tried to shed its image as a conservative self-interested trade association, and has become a powerful lobbying force for a range of public health issues. The organization has adopted policies that stress health equity and inclusiveness, which some critics have accused of being “woke.” Two years ago, the AMA announced a plan to dismantle structural racism within its ranks and the U.S. medical establishment, a move that earned widespread praise.
Ehrenfeld, an anesthesiologist, Navy combat veteran, and father of two young children, has experienced both positive and harmful moments within the healthcare system as a gay person and a gay parent. He believes that inclusivity and visibility are essential, and that he can use his role as AMA president to advance health equity for everyone.
During his term, Ehrenfeld plans to highlight the disparities that the LGBT community and other minority groups face in healthcare. He believes that friction points caused by subtle irritations add up and lead to stress, which is particularly harmful for underserved communities and transgender individuals.
Ehrenfeld is also deeply concerned about government intrusion into decision-making for patients, especially the recent Supreme Court ruling around abortion that has had profound implications for reproductive rights. He believes that patients have the right to access evidence-based healthcare services and that states that ban abortion or healthcare for transgender youth are placing the government right into the patient-physician relationship.
As AMA president, Ehrenfeld plans to call for unrestricted access to reproductive healthcare and to continue advocating for mental health parity and substance use disorder. He also hopes to permanently expand access to telehealth, which is essential for mental health access.
Despite criticism that the AMA is primarily a self-interested trade group, Ehrenfeld believes that the organization’s message is simple: to elevate the art and science of medicine for the betterment of human health. The AMA’s advocacy in areas such as climate change and health equity is essential to ensure joy in the practice of medicine and that healthcare systems support practices to thrive.