Washington State Medical Association Physician Leader Elected to Leadership at the American Medical Association

SEATTLE, WA, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Washington’s largest physician professional association, the Washington State Medical Association, today is celebrating the election of a key Washington physician leader to a top position within the American Medical Association, the nation’s largest physician organization.

Sheila Rege, MD, a radiation oncologist in private practice serving the Kennewick community, was elected by the AMA House of Delegates to serve on the 21-member board of trustees of the national organization. The election was held Tuesday, June 10, during the Annual Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates in Chicago. Dr. Rege is a leader within the WSMA, serving on the WSMA’s board of trustees as an AMA delegate representing the interests and needs of Washington state physicians and their patients in the creation of policies and programs at the AMA. In her new position on the AMA board, Dr. Rege will have further strengthened opportunity to inform AMA policy on the many shared interests of the two associations, from reforming onerous prior authorization processes and a broken Medicare physician payment system to providing leadership in the development of AI in health care and cultivating the next generation of physician leaders.

“I am deeply honored to be elected to the AMA board of trustees,” said Dr. Rege. “At a time when physicians are navigating unprecedented pressures—from misinformation to mounting administrative burdens—I’m committed to bringing practical, ethical leadership. I will advocate to protect physician autonomy, and ensure patients—regardless of ZIP code, race, or income—receive high-quality, compassionate care.”

Dr. Rege has been a member of the WSMA for more than 20 years, serving on its board of trustees for 20 years. She has been a member of the AMA since 1987. Dr. Rege has been elected twice to the AMA Council on Medical Service and brings to the AMA board deep expertise in the issues of health care payment systems and advocacy.

“I’m especially focused on advancing Medicare and Medicaid reforms, reducing red tape, and amplifying the voices of frontline physicians. As new federal policies and executive actions emerge, we must be proactive—shaping legislative change rather than reacting to it—and build a profession that empowers today’s and tomorrow’s physician leaders,” added Dr. Rege.

As she assumes her new leadership position with the AMA, she will continue to remain active at the state medical association to share insights into her work at the AMA.

“We are so proud of Dr. Rege and offer her the warmest of congratulations for her hard-won campaign,” says WSMA President John Bramhall, MD, PhD. “The house of medicine is facing so many challenges both at the state and federal levels—challenges that continue to create barriers to physicians’ ability to connect with their patients and provide the expert, evidence-based care that’s at the heart of good medicine. Having someone with Dr. Rege’s insights and accomplishments in leadership at the AMA will help both of our organizations as we continue working together to keep medicine physician-driven and patient-focused, both nationally and in Washington state.”

In addition to roles within the AMA, Dr. Rege is a clinical associate professor at Washington State University at Tri-Cities and has been a mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab, a global initiative supporting science and tech start-ups. She is past chair of the Washington State Health Technology Committee. Dr. Rege has served as president of the American College of Radiation Oncology, was previously the medical director for the western region of a large physician multispecialty group and worked in an urban academic center as the director of research in radiology at Louisiana State University Shreveport. Dr. Rege received her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from the University of California, Berkeley and graduated with highest distinction and high honors as a President’s Undergraduate Research Fellow. She received her medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine.

About the Washington State Medical Association
The WSMA represents more than 13,000 physicians, resident physicians, physician assistants, and medical students across all specialties and practice types in Washington state. The WSMA has advocated on behalf of the house of medicine for more than 125 years. Our vision is to make Washington state the best place to practice medicine and receive care.

Graham F Short
Washington State Medical Association
+1 206-329-6851
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