Candidate for election at 2024 Annual Meeting: Seema Sidhu, MD

Elections will be held at the Annual Meeting of the House of Delegates on June 11, 2024.

Officers and seven councils are elected by the American Medical Association House of Delegates (HOD) at the Annual Meeting. The elections are conducted during a special election session under the supervision of the Committee on Rules and Credentials and the chief teller, who are appointed by the speakers. The speaker and vice speaker are responsible for overall administration of the elections. Voting is conducted by secret ballot.

2024-2028

Throughout my life, I have sought ways to make a meaningful contribution to the communities and people who have had a positive impact on me. Without doubt, the biggest impact in my life has been from my family. My husband of 35 years, Yudhvir Singh Sidhu, has been a steadfast pillar of support who helped me, as a young 20-year-old mother, realize my dream of going to medical school and becoming the first member in our families to become a physician. My eldest daughter, Amrit Kaur Sidhu, a lawyer working for the rights of the underrepresented minorities and now a married woman herself, was a fixture in my medical school classes. She literally grew up surrounded by anatomy and physiology books, being passed from one medical student to another. Followed by years of fertility issues, my other two children are a sophomore daughter in college, Sahej Kaur Sidhu, a pre-med and campus EMT hoping to go into emergency medicine, and my teenage son, Aadjot Singh Sidhu, a 6’1” at age 16, who really has no clue what he wants to do with his life other than play basketball. They keep my passion lit as I continue my contributions in shaping our global communities.

As a practicing community obstetrics and gynecologist, I have been a strong voice for advocating and addressing critical issues in women's health. I joined The Permanente Medical Group (TPMG) in 2001 after completing a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Hawaii Residency Programs. The hunger for continued personal and professional growth led me to a fellowship in hospice and palliative medicine in 2013 and integrative medicine in 2019.

My commitment to mentoring and professional growth of our physician educators and learners in various stages of their careers can be seen in the work I do in my leadership roles. Over my career, I have held several leadership positions and I am currently serving as the assistant physician-in-chief in Kaiser Permanente, Greater Southern Alameda Area (KP GSAA). In this role, I lead physician development, wellness, mentoring, peer-support, recruitment, research, and undergraduate, graduate and continuing medical education for our 700+ physicians.

Additionally, as the regional associate dean for Drexel University, College of Medicine, Bay Area Campus, and director of medical education, I oversee medical education for our over 500 faculty physicians, medical students, residents and fellows.

My ongoing hands-on involvement with medical education and advocacy has entrained me with a variety of skills to become an active and influential voice in advocating for change in the health policy landscape.

I have over 15 years of active involvement as a community leader in organized medicine. In my current role as a trustee, seated on the California Medical Association’s (CMA) board of trustees, and as an active member of the CMA and American Medical Association’s (AMA) delegations, I routinely interact with policymakers to influence and establish policies that directly impact physicians and patient care. As chair of the PacWest Reference Committee C and a past president for the Santa Clara County Medical Association, I fiercely advocate for our learners and showcase the diversity of thoughts that come from our experiences during our unique formative journeys through medical education and advocacy.

I will continue to combine my experiences both as a learner and an educator to actively advocate for the welfare and advancement of all learners, especially for their continued professional growth and development.

As a full-time physician and mother, I know firsthand the need for work-life balance. I was the “teen pregnancy” that was able to continue my education and pursue my dreams. I have had many mentors and sponsors throughout my life journey who made this possible. This is why mentorship comes naturally to me. I actively mentor high school, pre-med and medical students through multiple organizations, such as the AMA Foundation Leadership Development Institute, the Student National Medical Association, to name a few.

At the heart of my approach to attaining work-life balance lies my philosophy of making a meaningful impact in life by leading an authentic and value-driven life. My children remind me often that our biggest impact starts within the spaces we create and are a part of in our lives. Volunteering to improve the health of our communities—both locally and globally serves as the cornerstone of my joy and meaning in medicine. I enjoy traveling across the world, living out of a backpack, and hiking with my family and mentees.

• Visit the AMA elections page for information on other candidates running for office.
• Find up to date information for the June Annual Meeting of the HOD.