The week-long celebration honors the unique contributions medical schools, academic health systems, and teaching hospitals make to America’s health
Washington, D.C., June 24, 2025— Today, U.S. Representatives Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Kathy Castor (D-Fla.) introduced a resolution in the U.S. House of Representatives recognizing the significant contributions of academic medicine to improving the health of patients and communities nationwide and formally proclaiming June 23-27, 2025, as Academic Medicine Week.
The academic health systems and teaching hospitals, medical schools, faculty physicians, researchers, resident physicians, fellows, and medical students that make up the academic medicine community play a vital role in transforming the U.S. health care system to improve the health of people everywhere.
Through the resolution and with the designation of Academic Medicine Week, the House of Representatives “affirms the unique and critical impact of academic medicine on patients and communities nationwide; and recognizes the importance of ensuring strong federal support for programs that support academic medicine’s leadership in medical research, cutting-edge patient care, innovative medical education, and critical community collaborations.”
As part of Academic Medicine Week, the AAMC announced the recipients of its 2025 Champions of Academic Medicine Awards, Sen. John Boozman (R-Ark.) and Rep. Castor. The AAMC granted both members this award for their dedication to the interests of their home state institutions and the broader academic medicine community.
Sen. Boozman has long supported advancing critical legislation to increase investment in Medicare-supported graduate medical education, including by co-leading the Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act, a key AAMC advocacy priority. He has also ensured vital funding for physician training, clinical care, and medical research programs at the Department of Veterans Affairs through his leadership of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans Affairs and Related Agencies. Institutions in Arkansas maintain a strong relationship with the Senator and cite him as a friend and supporter of their mission.
Rep. Castor has chaired the Congressional Academic Medicine Caucus for 10 years, leading discussions amongst her colleagues and advocating for medical schools, academic health systems, and teaching hospitals while underscoring their contributions to patient care, biomedical research, and health care workforce development. Throughout her time in Congress, she has worked to address the physician shortage and highlight the training, research, and partnerships in academic medicine. In addition, she has served as a leader for children’s health, supporting legislation to improve the quality of care for children and their access to care.
“The bipartisan commitment of these two leaders to improve overall patient health and strengthen the country’s health care system cannot be overstated,” said David J. Skorton, MD, AAMC president and CEO. “We applaud Sen. Boozman and Rep. Castor for their tireless efforts to highlight and support the critical work of the nation’s academic health systems and teaching hospitals in driving innovation and improving patient care. Their strong support and steadfast leadership have paved the way for lawmakers to better understand what’s at stake—a growing nationwide physician shortage, a dire need for the United States to remain competitive in health care innovation and economic growth, and an urgent need to invest in the advancements that save patient lives.”
During Academic Medicine Week, the AAMC and its member institutions will celebrate the value that academic medicine brings to all communities. AAMC members and advocates will share their stories on social media and Capitol Hill to underscore the need to invest in the federal programs that ensure academic medicine can fulfill its missions.