By Julie Kantor, MD, FAAP

It is both an honor and a privilege to begin serving as the 2026-2027 President of the Miami-Dade County Medical Association (MDCMA). I embark on this journey with optimism for our profession and gratitude for my fellow physicians who dedicate their lives to caring for our community every day.

For more than 120 years, our leadership has remained true to the association’s mission: “To support members in all aspects of the practice of medicine; to serve physicians and their patients by establishing and promoting ethical, educational and clinical standards for the medical profession, and to advocate the highest principle of all, the integrity of the patient-physician relationship.” That mission is as relevant today as ever.

Throughout my presidency, I will focus on four priorities essential to the future of organized medicine: expanding connections, furthering medical advocacy, reshaping physician wellness, and investing in the future of Medicine.

First, we must strengthen physician engagement by expanding connections and creating meaningful opportunities for collaboration across specialties, generations, practice settings, and the community at large. Whether physicians practice in private medicine, academia, a hospital or community health system; or are residents, fellows, medical students, or retired physicians, the MDCMA should be your professional home. Our greatest strength lies in bringing physicians together to share knowledge, mentor one another, and speak with a unified voice.

Second, we must further medical advocacy on behalf of physicians and patients. Organized medicine has never been more important. Every day, physicians face growing administrative burdens, reimbursement challenges, threats to physician autonomy, and obstacles that interfere with patient care. Issues such as prior authorization reform, fair reimbursement, physician wellness, mental health resources, scope of practice, and access to quality healthcare require thoughtful, persistent advocacy. Our collective voice has the power to influence policies that protect both our profession and the patients we serve.

Third, we will reshape physician wellness, a program and benefit for MDMCA members, to integrate the mental, physical and financial aspects of wellbeing. Burnout is an individual struggle and a systemic challenge affecting every corner of healthcare. Physicians cannot provide the highest quality care if they are exhausted, isolated, or unsupported. They must invest in themselves to better care for others.

Finally, we must continue investing in the next generation of physicians. Medical students and residents represent the future of healthcare, and their ideas, innovation, and leadership will shape medicine for decades to come. It is our responsibility to mentor them, create opportunities for professional growth, and welcome them into organized medicine early in their careers.

As we look ahead, I invite every physician to become an active participant in shaping our future. Attend a meeting. Advocate for your patients. Protect the integrity of our profession. Mentor a young colleague. Support one another.

The future of medicine will be shaped by physicians who choose to lead. I look forward to taking that journey together.

Dr. Julie Kantor is President, Miami-Dade County Medical Association.