New Mexico Medical Society

08/29/2026

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. Behind every vaccine recommendation is a physician who has completed years of rigorous training and uses that expertise to guide conversations with patients and families.

When physicians and patients have time to discuss vaccines and answer questions, they can make informed decisions that support long-term health.

Want to see the latest vaccine recommendations from leading medical societies? Visit the AMA's vaccine recommendations page: https://www.ama-assn.org/public-health/prevention-wellness/vaccine-recommendations

08/28/2026

Richard J Berry has been selected to serve as the organization’s Executive Director and CEO following a search led by members of the Society’s Search and Executive Committees.

Berry served two terms in the New Mexico House of Representatives and later two terms as mayor of Albuquerque. He also brings decades of private-sector business and executive experience throughout New Mexico and the Southwest, along with longstanding relationships across the state’s business, civic and community networks.

“I have enormous respect for the physicians of New Mexico,” Berry said. “Physicians devote decades to their education and training and then accept the profound responsibility of caring for us and our families. NMMS should listen to them, stand with them and help create the conditions in which they can succeed. I have equal respect for those who serve in the Legislature. Having served there myself, I know how demanding the work is, the sacrifices it requires and how good decision-making depends on reliable information. Growing up in a rural community and later serving as a legislator and mayor in New Mexico’s largest city taught me that our communities face different challenges but share common hopes. I want to work with NMMS leadership to bring physicians and policymakers together with candor and mutual respect, focused on what unites us: healthy families and the ability of physicians to provide exceptional care. We also want NMMS to be a home for physicians across every field of medicine—one that understands their unique challenges, provides meaningful value and brings the profession together around the issues that affect medicine as a whole.”

Read the full press release: https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:259ddd11-4b64-434a-8143-953e0c914a54?x_api_client_id=edge_extension_viewer&x_api_client_location=share

08/21/2026

For over a century, the white coat has been the preeminent symbol of the physician, and for more than 30 years, the White Coat Ceremony has marked a physician’s first promise to their patients.

This month, thousands of new medical students will slip on their first white coat, continuing a tradition created to instill compassion at the very start of a medical career.

As they take their first oath these students are not just starting school. They are beginning a lifelong commitment to the doctor-patient relationship, to protecting time in the exam room, and to putting patients' needs at the center of every decision.

Read more on the history of White Coat Ceremonies: https://journalofethics.ama-assn.org/article/doctors-white-coat-historical-perspective/2007-04

08/14/2026

? 95% of physicians reported delays in patients accessing necessary care due to prior authorization. Treatment delays can have serious consequences. Oncologist Dr. Barabra McAneny shares an experience navigating prior authorization in a video series: “I could not get past the bureaucracy...to explain that this procedure is A) lifesaving and is B) definitely not an experimental procedure.” See the full story: https://youtu.be/4kLJsy7tfHA?si=SBfqCJ8sv-O5IpqV

Prior authorization can delay patient care and waste valuable time ...

08/07/2026

From coast to coast, physicians are speaking up for what matters most: their patients. Here in New Mexico, physicians are proud to be part of Your Care is at our Core, a national movement led by physicians to protect the patient-physician relationship and keep patients at the center of every decision. More here: https://www.ama-assn.org/.../state.../your-care-our-core

07/29/2026

Physicians’ years of rigorous training and education prepare them to be trusted partners, healers, and advocates for their patients. They are leaders of the healthcare team, providing patients with informed treatment options. This sacred bond built on trust is essential to high-quality care. Learn more: https://nmms.org/your-care-is-at-our-core/

07/24/2026

In New Mexico, a new class of physicians have begun residency – where training meets real-world patient care.

At the heart of this work is a shared commitment to provide patients with compassionate, high-quality care.