Podcast: Medical Research at a Crossroads
AAMC Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Elena Fuentes-Afflick talks to Dean Henri Ford about the importance of medical research.
“University-led research and discovery, which is supported through the federal government, has impacted every single American family.”
That message has been a cornerstone of recent advocacy work by Elena Fuentes-Afflick, M.D., M.P.H., chief scientific officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). In the latest episode of “Inside U Miami Medicine,” Dr. Fuentes-Afflick discussed the current landscape of academic medicine, the challenges facing scientists and the importance of scientific discovery in the United States.
Dr. Fuentes-Afflick has emerged as a leading voice in support of federally funded research. She was appointed to her role at the AAMC in July 2024 and, by early 2025, the organization was urgently advocating to preserve funding for scientific research across the country, as the National Institutes of Health began scaling back on grant distribution.
“We are advocating every day for the value and the impact of the research and science that is conducted at our institutions, like the Miller School of Medicine,” said Dr. Fuentes-Afflick.
In the episode, Dr. Fuentes-Afflick also tackled a pressing issue. How can the academic medicine community improve communication about their important work to the public and help rebuild trust in scientific institutions?
Her insights and more at this critical moment for medical research are available now at Apple or wherever you get your podcasts.