American political History Timeline

AMA establishes standards for preliminary medical education and for the degree of MD.

AMA Code of Medical Ethics

1848

AMA recommends that the value of anesthetic agents in medicine, surgery and obstetrics be determined.

AMA notes the dangers of universal traffic in secret remedies and patent medicine.

The AMA first recommended that State governments register births, marriage and deaths.

1849

AMA establishes a board to analyze quack remedies and nostrums and to enlighten the public in regard to the nature and danger of such remedies.

1868

AMA Committee on Ethics strongly advocates recognition of regularly educated and qualified female physicians.

1870

AMA recommends that Congress pass a national system of quarantine regulations.

1873

AMA Judicial Council founded to deal with ethical and constitutional issues.

Sarah Hackett Stevenson

1876

Sarah Hackett Stevenson becomes first woman member of AMA.

AMA adopts a resolution promoting sanitary municipal water supplies and sewer systems.

1883

Journal of the American Medical Association founded; Nathan Davis is first editor.

1884

AMA supports experimentation on animals as the most useful source of knowledge in medical practice.

1897

Journal of the American Medical Association cover

AMA is incorporated.

1898

AMA Committee on Scientific Research is established to provide grants for fostering medical research.

1899

AMA creates Committee on National Legislation to represent the Association's interest in Washington.

AMA establishes Council on Exhibits to promote public health education.

Dr. George H. Simmons begins a 25-year appointment as editor of JAMA and develops the journal into an internationally recognized publication.

Dr. George H. Simmons

AMA appoints a committee to report on the nature of tuberculosis, means of control, public education and advisability of establishing national and state sanitariums.

AMA urges that local boards of health adopt laws requiring compulsory smallpox vaccination.

1901

1889 AMA Meeting

1902

AMA acquires its first permanent headquarters in Chicago.

AMA HQ 1902

1904

AMA establishes the Council on Medical Education to accelerate campaign to raise educational requirements for physicians.

1905

AMA establishes Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry to set standards for drug manufacturing and advertising and fight the war on quack patent medicines and nostrum trade.

1906

AMA Council on Medical Education publishes directory of medical schools in the United States, detailing entrance requirements.

Chemistry Lab

AMA Chemical Laboratory is established to analyze nostrums and drugs submitted for AMA review (in the 1930s leading to the AMA Seal of acceptance).

AMA publishes first American Medical Directory listing over 128, 000 licensed physicians in US and Canada.

1910

The Flexner report, 'Medical Education in the United States and Canada', funded by the Carnegie Foundation and supported by the AMA is published and facilitates new standards for medical schools. The report cites many diploma mills.

Flexner Report

1912

The Federation of State Medical Boards is established accepting AMA's rating of medical schools as authoritative.

AMA approves a report of the standard methods for prevention and control of tuberculosis adopted by the House of Delegates.

1913

Medicine Man Show

1914

AMA Council on Medical Education sets standards for hospital internship programs and publishes first list of approved hospitals offering such programs.

1915

AMA publishes favorable report on government-supported health care through sickness and accident insurance for employed individuals.

1920

AMA opposes compulsory health insurance through an August 1920 resolution by the House of Delegates.

1922

Woman's Auxiliary to the AMA is organized to assist the AMA in the advancement of medicine and public health. In 1975, Woman's Auxiliary to the AMA becomes the AMA Auxiliary.

Judicial Council amended The Principles of Medical Ethics, outlawing the solicitation of patients by physicians, a policy that remained in effect until the new Principles were adapted in 1980.

1923

AMA adopts standards for medical specialty training.

Hygeia, the AMA's family health magazine, is founded. Later becomes Today’s Health in 1950.

1924

Morris Fishbein begins 25-year tenure as editor of JAMA and Hygeia.

The AMA begins radio broadcasts that bring health messages to the general public.

1925

AMA Propaganda Department becomes Bureau of Investigation.

1927

AMA Council on Medical Education and Hospitals publishes first list of hospitals approved for residency training.

1929

AMA Council on Foods established as a subgroup of Council on Pharmacy and Chemistry.

1930

AMA requests evaluative psychiatric services be made available to every criminal and juvenile court, and to correctional institutions.

1931

AMA's Bureau of Medical Economics is established to study all economic matters affecting the medical profession.