AANEM Seeks Alternate Delegate to AMA House of Delegates

Published July 08, 2024

The AANEM is seeking a physiatrist interested in policymaking, legislative, and scope of practice issues to represent the AANEM as an Alternate Delegate in the AMA House of Delegates (HOD). The AANEM delegation consists of one Delegate, one Alternate Delegate, a Young Physician Section delegate, and the AANEM Government Affairs Manager (Rachel Volbrecht, JD). The newly appointed Alternate Delegate will join William David, MD, PhD (Delegation Chair – neurologist – Harvard University), and Dan Pierce, MD (Young Physician Section delegate – physiatrist – University of Nebraska) at the bi-annual HOD meetings.

The HOD Delegates and Alternates play important roles in coordinating advocacy activities with the other neuroscience-based specialties as well with their state delegations for the advancement and protection of physicians, patients, and medical practice in general. The individual selected for this role will have the opportunity to gain hands-on, in-the-trenches understanding of the process and politics involved in policymaking by the AMA. The opportunities for professional networking are significant.

For a more detailed explanation of HOD, see the AMA HOD webpage.

Responsibilities of the HOD Alternate:

  • Be a member of the AMA. 
  • Be open to exposure to wide ranging issues / policies affecting current & future medical practice. 
  • Be open to mentoring in the procedures of the HOD by former delegates Drs. Pease and Kincaid, current delegates Drs. David and Pierce, and AANEM Staff Millie Suk and Rachel Volbrecht, as well as delegates and staff from related organizations like the AAN and AAPM&R.
  • Be available to attend the bi-annual HOD meetings – in June (Chicago) and in November (location varies year-to-year but tends to be in a warm location).  The meetings are 4-5 days in length, usually beginning Friday evening and ending on Tuesday or Wednesday by noon. Future dates and locations are posted on the AMA HOD Future meetings webpage. 
  • Be able to review proposed resolutions and council reports distributed by the AMA prior to the HOD meetings and work with the AANEM staff, as well as with partner associations, such as AAN and AAPM&R, to decide on support or opposition of proposed resolutions or council reports. Much of this work is conducted during a handful of 1-2 hour evening zoom meetings prior to the HOD.
  • Be available to work with AANEM staff and physician experts in other like-minded delegations to develop resolutions.
  • Be comfortable with attending large, evening social events with the AANEM delegation during the HOD meeting. 


All travel and lodging expenses are paid by AANEM pursuant to the business expense travel policy.

To indicate your interest in this opportunity:  

Please email the following no later than August 7, 2024 to: rvolbrecht@aanem.org:

  1. Brief statement of interest with current contact/bio information 

  2. CV

Thank you for your interest!