Specialty and Service Society

The Specialty and Service Society (SSS) provides a forum for collaboration among the medical specialties, professional interest medical associations (PIMAs), and the federal service branches to further promote the interests of its members within our American Medical Association and to serve as a resource to our AMA.

The SSS is among the groups that meet in conjunction with the AMA House of Delegates (HOD) Annual and Interim Meetings, held in June and November, respectively.

In accordance with new AMA HOD Election Rules and in compliance with this new timeline in place, the SSS candidate endorsement process has been compressed. The 2026 SSS candidate endorsement voting window opens May 1 and closes end of day May 7. Ballots will be sent to SSS assembly members via an email from SurveyMonkey on May 1. If you do not receive a ballot and believe you should, please reach out to SSS@ama-assn.org. 

Eligible voters include delegates and alternates from national medical specialty societies seated in the House of Delegates and physician representatives of national medical specialty societies represented in the SSS. 

There is no limit as to how many candidates can be endorsed.

You must vote either ENDORSE or NOT ENDORSE for each candidate on the ballot, or the entire ballot will be nullified.

• SSS Governing Council
• SSS member organizations (PDF)

• 2024 SSS Assembly Meeting agenda and materials (PDF)
• Candidates seeking SSS endorsement background materials (PDF, members only)
• AMA advocacy events

Policy and guidance on admission to SSS, HOD, and periodic review. Additional standing rules and guidelines on SSS endorsement of candidates

Bylaws

• AMA Bylaw 8 (PDF)—Representation of National Medical Specialty Societies and Professional Interest Medical Associations in the House of Delegates

Policy

• Policy G-600.020—Admission of Specialty Organizations to our AMA House
• Policy G-600.022—Admission of Professional Interest Medical Associations to our AMA House
• Policy G-600.027—Designation of Specialty Societies for Representation in the House of Delegates

Rules & guidelines

• Group endorsement list/process (PDF)
• Standing Rules and Procedures (PDF)
• Guidelines for candidate endorsements (PDF)
• National medical specialties in HOD at 1990 Annual Meeting (PDF)

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The periodic/5-year review verifies that specialty societies meet AMA membership thresholds and comply with guidelines and bylaw requirements for continued representation in the HOD. Similar processes are in place for initial application to the SSS and HOD.

• Review Schedule for National Medical Specialty Societies (PDF)
• Periodic Review Manual (PDF)
• Template Compliance Letter (5-year review and HOD application) (PDF)
• Template Compliance Letter (SSS application) (PDF)

• Section Council Directory (PDF, members only)
• 2024 Interim Meeting Section Council Chairs Virtual and Breakfast Meeting schedule

• Federation relations contacts (PDF, members only): The AMA Federation Relations team serves as primary contacts and liaisons to Federation organizations.
• Ways to get involved with AMA advocacy: The AMA works to inform lawmakers, guide decision-making and generate support for policies critical to the nation’s health care system.
• Archive of the House of Delegates Meetings: Review meeting proceedings, explore AMA digital collections and track follow up from HOD actions.
• Correspondence Finder: Search AMA letters to public officials, comment letters, sign-on letters and testimony.
• Policy Finder: Search current AMA policy.
• Litigation Center Case Summary Finder: Search for AMA Litigation Center cases by topic, title or relevant term.