CHICAGO — The American Medical Association (AMA), the nation’s largest physician organization, announced the election of Willie Underwood, III, M.D., M.Sc., M.P.H., a urologist based in Buffalo, N.Y., to its Board of Trustees.

“The goals on which the AMA was founded more than 170 years ago – professionalism, advocacy and ethics – are as noble and worthy today as they were then, and I am privileged to be a part of such a proud heritage,” said Dr. Underwood. “I am excited about this opportunity and honored to have been elected by my peers. I look forward to playing a role in the AMA’s push to unlock the promise of a healthier nation.”

Dr. Underwood has been an active leader in organized medicine for many years; he has chaired the AMA Council on Legislation and the AMA Resident and Fellow Section, served as president of the Erie County New York Medical Society, and he is an AMA Delegate from the American Urological Association (AUA).

Dr. Underwood is a board-certified urologic surgeon specializing in prostate cancer who has been practicing in the state of New York for the past 11 years. He oversees research focusing on methods to improve early detection and treatment of prostate cancer. In all his advocacy work he is proudest of getting prostate cancer early detection legislation successfully passed in Michigan and Maryland.

Dr. Underwood earned his M.D. and M.Sc. from SUNY Upstate Medical University and his M.P.H. from the University of Michigan.