The Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) Board of Directors today announced that it has chosen Graham T. McMahon, MD, MMSc, as the new President and CEO. The Board chose Dr. McMahon unanimously, and he will begin his tenure in April 2015, following the retirement of Murray Kopelow, MD, the current President and CEO of ACCME.
According to the ACCME Press Release, Dr. Kopelow will continue to lead the ACCME during the transition period and will work with the Board of Directors and Dr. McMahon until July 31, 2015, to ensure a smooth leadership transition process.
“At the time of his retirement, Dr. Kopelow will have completed more than 30 years of exemplary service to the CME community, with 20 of those years spent as the ACCME’s Chief Executive,” ACCME states. “He leaves the ACCME in a healthy financial position, with an energetic, creative, and dedicated staff. During his tenure, the ACCME and accredited continuing medical education have grown in stature, importance, and relevance.”
Dr. Kopelow’s successor, Dr. McMahon brings an impressive resume to the position. He is a medical educator, researcher, and practicing endocrinologist from Harvard Medical School, where he serves as Associate Dean for Continuing Education and Associate Professor of Medicine. He teaches extensively at Harvard Medical School and at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, serves as Editor for Medical Education at the New England Journal of Medicine, and as Executive Editor for the NEJM Knowledge+ program.
A native of Dublin, Ireland, Dr. McMahon earned his medical degree from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, where he also received a doctoral degree in medical education from the National University of Ireland. He is board certified in internal medicine; and endocrinology, diabetes, and metabolism. He earned a Master of Medical Science in Clinical Research from Harvard Medical School.
ACCME provides the following introduction to the beginning of Dr. McMahon’s new role:
Since the beginning of his career, Dr. McMahon has been committed to elevating the role of education in improving physician competence and patient care. His work focuses on using educational innovation and technology to enhance teaching, learning, and behavior change. An educator for more than 15 years, he has extensive teaching and mentoring experience and has developed educational policy at both the local and national level. He has volunteered on a range of national and international medical education committees, including serving on the Executive Board of the National Board of Medical Examiners. Dr. McMahon has served as faculty for regional, national, and international CME activities. He has published numerous articles in peer-reviewed journals, including reports on education research.
Throughout his many endeavors, Dr. McMahon has maintained his focus on utilizing education to support healthcare professionals’ continuing professional development and to improve care for patients and their communities. He has authored educational materials for patients and the public and trained medical students to teach preventive medicine to children. His clinical research has examined how patients can be engaged in their care; he has worked to resolve health disparities in the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community; and he has educated international medical students about US medical training and career development.
Dr. McMahon will be joined in Chicago by his husband and their two daughters.
Dr. McMahon was chosen following a comprehensive search conducted by the ACCME Board of Directors, with the assistance of Park Square Executive Search.
Graham T. McMahon, MD, MMSc, Incoming President and CEO, ACCME issued the following statement:
It is an extraordinary honor and privilege to be chosen as the next ACCME President and CEO. The ACCME, with Dr. Kopelow’s transformative leadership, has succeeded in positioning accredited CME as one of the key strategic assets in support of healthcare improvement in America. The ACCME accreditation system is recognized internationally as a model. I am proud to have the opportunity to build on this strong foundation and to work with the ACCME’s expert and committed staff and volunteers. I look forward to engagement with the ACCME community of member organizations, state medical societies, and accredited CME providers as well as with our colleague accreditors in the health professions and the multiple other stakeholders with whom we collaborate to improve healthcare. I have long believed in the power of accredited CME to effect real change in the lives of physicians, care teams, patients, and communities. During this transformative period in healthcare, I envision creating new opportunities for accredited CME to demonstrate that it is the vehicle for physician change and the currency for quality improvement.
For ACCME’s Full Release Click Here