The AMA Board of Trustees has chosen John Whyte, MD, MPH, a nationally renowned public health advocate, physician executive, corporate strategist and communication expert, as its next executive vice president and CEO. Dr. Whyte ushers in a new era of leadership for the 178-year-old institution amid strong membership growth and a renewed focus on solving challenges that affect physicians and patients. Dr. Whyte’s tenure will begin July 1.
Dr. Whyte brings extensive corporate, governmental and clinical experience to his role leading the day-to-day operations of the AMA. A board-certified internal medicine physician for nearly 30 years, Dr. Whyte joins the AMA from WebMD, where he has served as chief medical officer (CMO) since 2018 and helped grow the media company’s strategic partnerships, influence and vision.
As WebMD CMO, Dr. Whyte built relationships with nonprofit, government and commercial sectors, and his innovative approach to management generated new revenue for WebMD through thought-leadership events, educational programming, research and book-publishing ventures. He was a pivotal force in WebMD’s evolution from a digital content platform to an interactive wellness hub that directly connected patients with physicians.
“Dr. Whyte is an exceptionally qualified leader who has distinguished himself across many fronts. He is uniquely positioned to lead the AMA at this pivotal time and offers a deep and nuanced understanding of the AMA’s mission, governance, and evolving role—ensuring both continuity and meaningful progress toward the association’s goals,” said AMA Board Chair Michael Suk, MD, JD, MPH, MBA.
Dr. Whyte comes to lead the AMA at an important point for medicine and public health in the U.S.
“I am honored to join the AMA as CEO and serve the nation’s patients and physicians,” said Dr. Whyte. “I have tremendous respect and admiration for this venerable, science-based organization and its important work that improves the lives of millions of people. I see significant opportunities for a strong and vibrant AMA to fulfill its core mission to promote the art and science of medicine and the betterment of public health.”
Excessive administrative burdens and ever-increasing financial pressures relating to a steady, two-decade drop in Medicare payment contributes to professional burnout and continues to drive physicians from medicine. Digital technology, including AI, is evolving at a rapid pace, intriguing physicians but raising questions about implementation, regulation and ethics. Misinformation about health care and science are lowering vaccination rates and fueling new public health challenges not seen in generations.
Engagement with House of Medicine
Dr. Whyte’s extensive experience in health policy, digital media, new business development, government and clinical practice—as well as his years of engagement with the AMA and within the House of Medicine—position him well to take on the multiple challenges facing medicine. Dr. Whyte first joined the AMA as a medical student member and in the years since he served a two-year stint on the AMA Council on Long Range Planning, was secretary of the AMA Resident and Fellow Section, and chair of its governing council. He currently serves on the AMA’s AI committee to bring his own clinical expertise to help foster an exciting new era in health technology.
Dr. Whyte will replace James L. Madara, MD, whose successful and influential 14-year tenure as AMA CEO and executive vice president ends June 30.
Dr. Madara guided the creation of the AMA’s long-term strategic vision with an emphasis on removing obstacles to care for patients, driving medical education, training and innovation, and leading the charge to prevent chronic disease, confront public health crises and eliminate health inequities. This strategic focus, and Dr. Madara’s leadership, is responsible for remarkable growth in physician members since he took the reins in 2011. Total membership at the AMA has grown by more than 33% under Dr. Madara’s stewardship, and in 2024 eclipsed 290,000 physician and medical student members—the highest level in more than three decades.
In announcing his decision to leave the AMA last June, Dr. Madara pledged to work closely with the Board of Trustees to ensure a smooth transition to the next CEO to best build upon the momentum of the past 14 years.
“A truly successful handoff is the support that you offer, and the assistance you provide, to give your successor the best chance to excel,” Dr. Madara told AMA delegates at the 2024 AMA Annual Meeting. “The challenges in medicine today are numerous and well-documented, which makes it even more critical for the AMA to maintain its momentum in this year of transition.”
Time at FDA, CMS
Dr. Whyte, a graduate of the Hahnemann University School of Medicine in Pennsylvania and Harvard University School of Public Health, has written extensively about chronic-disease management and improving public health. He has appeared on dozens of national TV programs to promote wellness and advocate for mitigating risks for heart disease, diabetes, cancer and other chronic ailments. Dr. Whyte has been named a top 20 health influencer for his public health leadership and was an important national voice for vaccine safety and efficacy during the COVID-19 public health emergency.
Prior to joining WebMD, Dr. Whyte served as the director of professional affairs and stakeholder engagement at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. At the FDA, he led groundbreaking initiatives to modernize clinical trial design, expand diversity in research and advance the regulatory use of real-world evidence—efforts that continue to make an impact on drug development today. His leadership also helped drive strategies for adaptive trial design and fostered stakeholder engagement critical to regulatory innovation.
Previously, Dr. Whyte served as chief medical expert and vice president of health and medical education at the Discovery Channel. There, he directed the launch of educational programming that captured audiences in and outside of medicine, aligning mission-driven health education with corporate funding strategies and helping to build new multimedia brand identities.
At the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), his leadership was instrumental in formalizing Medicare’s national coverage-decision process, shaping payment policies and advancing innovative models to improve health outcomes. His position at CMS, followed by a four-year stint at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, gave Dr. Whyte a deep understanding of health policy, reimbursement strategies and the critical intersection of clinical innovation and payment models.
