From the President

2023 Annual Report

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

Ushering in 2023 as the first epidemiologist president of The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) has been an honor and a privilege. Having the opportunity to advance this historic institution’s health equity mission into its 176th year and beyond comes with a renewed commitment at a time of unprecedented challenges and, yes, even opportunities.

At NYAM, we want all people to be at their healthiest across a long life—starting with a safe birth and extending all the way through aging well. By focusing our research on how to advance health equity, we’re helping to build this better “healthspan” for everyone. In this report, you’ll see how NYAM’s work flows through all the stages of life to support health throughout the life journey. We also look at the external influencers that shape our lives at every age—such as a novel pathogen or a devastating climate change event. 

We’re continuing to recover from the challenges of the early years of the COVID-19 pandemic thanks to vaccines and treatment innovations that have reduced mortality rates. We’re now facing down the biggest challenge to health in history as noted by the World Health Organization: the increasing impact of climate change, due to global heating from fossil fuel use, on the health of humans and, indeed, all species.

This is where we find the clarion call to support our healthcare and public health systems, to better prepare us to be more resilient before the next significant climate change event strikes. There is a day-to-day impact now—many hospital system administrators and clinicians recall the harrowing and disastrous days and weeks following Superstorm Sandy. Or think about the Canadian wildfires and the lengthening pollen season leading to an increase in emergency room visits due to breathing emergencies. We have the opportunity now to become better prepared across healthcare and public health systems and in our communities. In 2023 NYAM began this initiative, and you’ll see a growing amount of industry-leading work with this focus from us in the years to come. 

We hope you’ll join along in our community of practice as we tackle this challenge of our time—which also holds the opportunity for an immeasurable payoff in the decades ahead. 

Thank you for your interest in our work, for your partnership, and, most of all, for your engagement in advancing a world where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy, for life.

Be well,

Ann Kurth, PhD, CNM, MPH 
President