This past June at the AMA House of Delegates Annual Meeting in Chicago, delegates joined forces to support future medical leaders
and community organizations in a big way.

Dr. Hugh Vincent, a retired Anesthesiologist and AMA House of Delegate Member, traveled from his home in Mill Valley with a special surprise for those in attendance. During the opening remarks of the AMA Foundation Board President, Dr. Patricia L. Austin, Dr. Vincent approached the microphone unbeknownst to of his former peers.

A longtime supporter of the AMA Foundation, Dr. Vincent started by saying, “When we take from the well, we have an obligation to replace that well. And there is no well for me that had more importance in my life, that shaped my career and shaped my life then the well of education.” He went on to share that medical students are coming out of school with unbelievable amounts of debt, presenting insurmountable challenges, so it is easy for him to pay it forward through his contributions to the H. Hugh Vincent, MD Family Fund.

However, he wanted to do more. Dr. Vincent announced that he came to the meeting to personally challenge the house and match every donation made during the meeting, dollar-for-dollar, up to $175,000. He was greeted with a resounding standing ovation. What happened next was unprecedented. The challenge was so effective that Dr. Vincent increased his matching gift challenge to a total of $190,000. Not only did attendees exceed his extended challenge, they surpassed it and raised nearly $500,000 to support medical students and community health programs nationwide.

Dr. Vincent summed up the experience in a short phrase: “It was a magical moment.