Keynote speakers give attendees an opportunity to hear from individuals whose breadth and vision extend beyond our specialty and inform us on the broader health care environment. This year’s speakers share their personal experiences as cancer patients.
Bobby Mukkamala, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon in solo, private practice in Flint, Michigan. He currently serves as president of the American Medical Association. Dr. Mukkamala was diagnosed in 2024 with a grade 2 glioma after experiencing aphasia at an AMA meeting.
As AMA President, Dr. Mukkamala will discuss his recent brain cancer diagnosis, what his experience says about health gaps in America, and what he's learned about being a doctor by being a patient. He'll also lay out solutions to improve access to care, steps necessary to expand the physician workforce, and highlight the work of the American Medical Association to confront concerning public health trends.
Bryant Lin, MD, MEng, is a primary care physician, educator and researcher. The cornerstone of Dr. Lin’s work is keeping medicine focused on humans – patients, providers, families and trainees – and not lost in technology and algorithms. Dr. Lin himself was diagnosed with Stage 4 Lung Cancer (non-small cell lung cancer) in 2024 and started a Stanford Medical School course centered around his case.
Using examples from his own Stage 4 Lung Cancer Case, Dr. Lin will discuss the importance of research and hope from the perspective of a cancer patient and academic researcher.