2025 Jordan J. Cohen Lecture at the AAMC, delivered by Dr. Darrell Kirch
Darrell G. Kirch, MD, President Emeritus of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), Gold Foundation Trustee, and lifelong champion of humanism, will deliver the 2025 Jordan J. Cohen Humanism in Medicine Lecture at the AAMC Annual Meeting in San Antonio. This annual lecture is a collaboration between the Gold Foundation and the AAMC, presented at the Learn Serve Lead conference.
Dr. Kirch’s lecture, titled “A Physician’s Journey through Uncharted Waters,” will explore the deeply personal and professional evolution of a physician navigating the complexities of modern medicine. While medical education is grounded in evidence and the progressive attainment of competencies, Dr. Kirch emphasizes that each physician’s journey is uniquely shaped by their life experiences. In a time of profound disruption, staying true to one’s moral compass and humanistic values can be especially challenging. Drawing on unexpected lessons from his own path, Dr. Kirch will reflect on how these experiences sharpened, rather than dulled, his commitment to the ethical obligations of the profession and the humanistic core of medicine.
Dr. Darrell G. Kirch is President Emeritus of the AAMC, where he served as President and CEO from 2006 to 2019. He is currently an adjunct professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University, a national advisor for Manatt Health Strategies, and principal of Academic Health Advising LLC. A distinguished educator, biomedical scientist, and clinician, Dr. Kirch speaks and publishes widely on the transformation of healthcare and the role of academic institutions in leading change across education, research, and clinical services.
Dr. Kirch has served as dean, university senior vice president, and academic health system leader of two institutions: the Medical College of Georgia and the Pennsylvania State University Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
The Jordan J. Cohen Humanism in Medicine Lecture is named for Dr. Jordan J. Cohen, President Emeritus of the AAMC and Chair Emeritus of the Gold Foundation Board of Trustees. The lecture spotlights illuminating voices of humanism.
The Gold Foundation will also be hosting a session on Nov. 3 at 10:15 a.m. on “The Power of Humanism: How to Transform Healthcare By Being More Intentional about the Human Connection,” which will feature stories from Gold Humanism Honor Society members and a Tell Me More® exercise.
To learn more and register for Learn Serve Lead, visit the conference website.
Read more about the Jordan J. Cohen Humanism in Medicine Lecture at the AAMC.