A look back at 150 years of the AAMC—and a century of Academic Medicine

As the AAMC celebrates its 150th anniversary and Academic Medicine observes its centennial, it can be tempting to look back only on the major milestones that have elevated the organization to one whose leaders regularly influence policy and public opinion on issues of medical education, patient care, and biomedical research. In this commentary, the current and 2 most immediate past presidents of the AAMC call on their academic medicine colleagues to look back on the past 150 years with pride but also with humility and a recognition that there are still challenges to be faced, both as an organization and a profession, to improve the health of people everywhere.