Shilpen Patel, MD, FASTRO, warmly introduced his colleague and longtime friend, Bobby Mukkamala, MD, saying, “He leads with humility, compassion and purpose. What stands out most is not just what he has accomplished but how he shows up for others. Some lead for ego while others lead to serve, and Bobby is definitely the latter.”
With that context, the facts: Dr. Mukkamala is a board-certified otolaryngologist, head and neck surgeon, in private practice in his hometown of Flint, Michigan, and the president of the American Medical Association (AMA). A passionate advocate for public health, Dr. Mukkamala is deeply committed to creating a more sustainable health system that better supports physicians and serves the needs of people and communities. Whether contributing to efforts to lower lead exposure in children, exploring how to improve mental health endeavors and education, or building partnerships with foundations, any facet of health that enters his sphere of influence is one he welcomes.
As the son of two physicians who came to the U.S. in the 1970s in response to the physician shortage, Dr. Mukkamala is guided by the motto “leave things better than you found them.” Recent experience and deep gratitude have reinforced this motivation, as at an AMA meeting in late 2024, Dr. Mukkamala showed signs of aphasia. Upon arriving home a few days later, he was able to get an MRI in a colleague’s office at 9:00 p.m., send the images to his radiologist father, and acquire a diagnosis soon thereafter. He had the additional benefit of multiple radiation oncologists at Henry Ford Hospital review his scans and conclude that he had a grade 2 astrocytoma and received surgery several weeks later. On top of that, he had access to receiving an experimental drug researched at Duke University thanks to NIH-funding, which was cut shortly thereafter. The customized and well-timed circumstances of his treatment plan are gifts that Dr. Mukkamala views providentially, and which feed his energy to use his position and expertise to benefit as many as he can. “I am determined to use my advocacy in medicine for as many years as I have left,” he said. “I am determined to fix the flaws in our health care system that are creating barriers. After all, shouldn’t everyone in the same situation have the same access to care I’ve had?”
Dr. Mukkamala’s deep empathy for all the roles he plays is evident as he shared the many challenges attacking the physician landscape. The weight of these roles are tremendous, stemming from bureaucratic burdens, physician shortages and government-led skepticism, to name a few. As such, AMA advocacy focuses on lightening the load, and Dr. Mukkamala noted the daily struggles of his own staff, often stemming from prior authorization hurdles. Two hours of administrative work go hand in hand with each hour spent with a patient. In addition, there is increasing hostility directed toward health care workers, and gone are the days post-COVID when citizens appreciated the tireless efforts of those on the medical frontline. Attacks on science and misinformation campaigns and government interference into patient-physician autonomy further perpetuate these attitudes. Inefficient consolidations across health care also create stress – in Michigan, hospital systems merge annually without any tangible benefits felt by the doctor or patient. Furthermore, or perhaps because of such perceived and real stresses, the physician workforce is shrinking, with an 86 thousand physician shortage anticipated in the U.S. by 2036. This is exacerbated by the aging physician workforce, with nearly half of all US physicians being aged 55 or older, and with many planning to reduce hours or retire.
In response to these needs, AMA’s top priorities include tackling prior authorization, slowing scope creep, reducing burnout and improving well-being. The AMA is also fighting for physician reimbursement, as payment has decreased by 33% since 2001. Otherwise, as Dr. Mukkamala stated, “When you reduce access to affordable health care, you are creating an America with worsening health outcomes.”
Dr. Mukkamala has the rare ability to extrapolate what the challenges mean for different people, stating that the top cause of bankruptcy in the U.S. is medical debt. Where he lives in Flint, Michigan, the life expectancy is 68 years old. Extend 10 miles out to a neighborhood with higher income, and the life expectancy grows to 81 years old. His personal goal is to move the needle. His experience with the health care system has further ignited his fervor, using his platform to identify, address and eliminate those health inequities so patients can receive timely and high-quality care.
Not to leave his impact on cancer treatment alone, Dr. Mukkamala desires to shrink disparity gaps for other health inequities, especially heart disease, stroke and diabetes, which are among the top 10 leading causes of death in the U.S. and where Black and Latinx communities suffer disproportionately more. He is not daunted by exploring the breadth of the health care crisis, noting the immense gun control problem. To test it for himself, he visited his local “Guns Galore” store and purchased an AR-15 with 90 bullets in a 14-minute period.
Whether looking at solutions for gun control, growing the practice of lifestyle medicine, or promoting mental health measures, Dr. Mukkamala doesn’t know the word “limit” when seeking how to renew purpose for our profession. As such, the AMA is executing a multi-year strategy to address health inequities and achieve optimal health. The association has also created tools, resources and education modules to foster greater awareness of inequities and solutions to address them. He has looked at self-measuring devices for blood pressure to encourage useful data for patients to be informed of their own status. Accurate information equips patients to communicate more effectively with their physicians, and Dr. Mukkamala further noted the AMA MAP Framework: Measure Accurately, Act Rapidly, Partner with Patients.
Yet, the challenges are many. Many patients will not visit the doctor for what they perceive to be small issues, as they are reluctant to pay out of pocket, but will only visit the emergency room when the symptoms are much more severe. Dr. Mukkamala concluded: “Patients deserve better. Physicians deserve better. Our nation deserves better.”
