Opinion: It’s time for a new era of advocacy for physicians

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Source: STAT News

Original: https://www.statnews.com/2026/02/24/doctors-advocacy-aafp-lobbying-congress/?utm...

Published: Tue, 24 Feb 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Sarah C. Nosal, MD, FAAFP, is the new president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), which represents approximately 128,300 family physicians, residents, and medical students in the US.[1][2] She was installed into office on October 6, 2025 at a meeting in Anaheim, California.[2][3] Nosal is a family physician from the Bronx, New York, with nearly two decades of experience caring for underserved and diverse populations.[1][2] She serves as vice president of innovation and optimization and chief medical information officer at the Institute for Family Health, a network of federally qualified health centers with more than 27 locations.[2][6] She is an associate professor at the Mount Sinai Department of Family Medicine & Community Health and contributes to free clinics for the uninsured and marginalized patients.[1][2] She previously held key positions in the AAFP, the New York State Academy of Family Physicians, and the Medical Society of the State of New York.[1][2][5] As a resident, she attended the AAFP's first national board meeting, where she set out to lead positive change in family medicine.[1][2]