Your AMA Vice President candidates

The AMA’s national conference is approaching with an exciting program and events lined up. If you haven’t already registered, you can register on the conference website.

The election of a new AMA President and Vice President is a very important part of the conference every two years. Earlier this week we announced that current Vice President Dr Danielle McMullen has been elected unopposed to be the new AMA President. Congratulations again to Dr McMullen.

Dr Xavier Yu and A/Prof Julian Rait have nominated as candidates for the role of Vice President. Appointed delegates at National Conference will vote on the candidates on Sunday 4 August. Delegates will also vote on a motion to introduce a hand over period of two months for new presidents, with the new President and Vice President to take over from October 1.

Your VP candidates (heading)

 A/Prof Julian Rait OAM

Associate Professor Julian Rait is a specialist Ophthalmologist and a past President of the Victorian branch of the Australian Medical Association (Vic) for three years including the Covid-19 pandemic. He has previously Chaired the AMA Federal Council between 2020 and 2022 and led the Council of Private Specialist Practice for the Federal AMA between 2016 and 2022. Julian has also held several leadership positions within the medical indemnity insurance industry including serving on the Board of the Avant Foundation and the Avant National Advocacy Stakeholder Committee while previously serving as a Board member and the Chairman of the MDA National Group from 2008 to 2014.

He has been a fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors since 2008 and is currently the Deputy Chair of Vision Australia.

Building on 30 years of experience in medical organisations, Julian believes that he can provide the leadership with Dr Danielle McMullen to ensure sound process and management efficiency within the AMA along with strong and effective advocacy for the profession.

In particular, Julian and Danielle wish to address the chronic underfunding of GP services, the sustainability of private hospitals and evolving workforce shortages. We also need greater advocacy directed toward mental health care, public hospital funding, the increasing stress on trainees, and improved regulation of the private health insurance industry. We will encourage greater support for rural and indigenous medicine along with more preventative public health strategies and doctor well-being initiatives.

Please see our policy website: http://www.dmcmullen.com.au

Dr Xavier Yu

I offer my nomination for AMA Vice President to support our new President Dr McMullen, though empathic membership engagement.

My clinical radiologist consultant roles (since 2016) include within public teaching hospitals, private community diagnostic practice and teleradiology for interstate/regional Australia.  My Masters in Business Administration (completed 2022) has enhanced my collaborations skills, especially with my current roles as a Monash BreastScreen Co-Director of Training, chair of the RANZCR Victorian Branch Committee and (violin playing!) president of the Australian Doctors Orchestra. 

My AMA ‘career’ began during my resident years, including as Council of Doctors in Training representative, AMAV board member and vice president through to 2018.  Since joining AMA Federal Council in 2022 as the radiologist representative, my highlights include shaping development of our inaugural AMA Artificial Intelligence Position Statement, participating in the Membership Engagement Governance Structure Working Group, and advocacy on the Commonwealth Government Diagnostic Imaging Stakeholder Committee (DISC). 

Just as I continually strive to optimise communication with referrers in clinical practice, I see my broad interests compatible to collectively representing you!  My current AMA representations include memberships on the Public Health, Ethics and Medicolegal, Equity Inclusion and Diversity, and Fees List Committees, and Council of Specialist Private Practice. 

Alongside supporting our President, I will advocate for improving workforce wellbeing and for sustainable, safe and ethical healthcare innovation. Most importantly, I will enthusiastically listen to what you as grass roots members want the AMA to say, as a diverse and inclusive “voice of the profession”.