The AMA "Members Move Medicine" series profiles a wide variety of doctors, offering a glimpse into the passions of women and men navigating new courses in American medicine.
On the move with: Anna Yap, MD, speaker of the AMA Medical Student Section Governing Council. She begins residency training in emergency medicine this summer.
AMA member since: 2014.
What inspired me to pursue a career in medicine: After working in a variety of fields, I decided I wanted to work as a passionate leader in a field that would benefit all people, regardless of their race or status. Physicians get to lead teams while working with our hands and minds to target health, which is such an intimate and important part of all our lives. There is too much disparity in the world, and I wanted to be able to work on both the small and large scale to help increase access for all.
How I move medicine: By ensuring it’s accessible to all. Everyone deserves to have thoughtful care, no matter who they are.
Career highlights: While I am still early in my career, I’m proud to have been able to work on quite a few policies that the AMA has adopted, in addition to mentoring and facilitating peers to have their voices heard. It’s exciting to help physicians band together to stand up for our patients. It’s exciting to educate those around me about issues we may not have the most exposure to, such as implicit bias, LGBTQIA and minority issues, and women’s health!
Advice I’d give to those interested in pursuing a career in medicine: It’s a long road, but rewarding if you can find what drives you. Shadow and speak with others in the field to see what careers work for you, as the beauty of health care is that there is something for everyone. Medicine is ever-evolving to hopefully encompass whole-person care. It still has a way to go, but having thoughtful physician leaders to help optimize the system for physicians and patients can help us along.
Aspect of my work that means the most: The trust that patients give to us is humbling, and thus it’s important to me that all of us in health care treat all patients with dignity and justice. Health is such an important aspect of living vibrant and fulfilling lives, and getting to be a part of that in everything I do makes medicine more than just a job. I am becoming a doctor to earn the trust and respect to be able to speak up and uplift those who don’t get heard.
Learn more about AMA members who are relentlessly moving medicine through advocacy, education, patient care and practice innovation, and join or renew today.
