2025 Excellence in Medicine Spotlight: The Laugh Doctor
Carrie Horwitch, MD, MPH, MACP, received the 2025 Jack B. McConnell, MD, Award for Excellence in Volunteerism.
Dr. Horwitch is a board-certified internal medicine physician with over 30 years of experience. Her diverse clinical background includes work in HIV medicine, chronic disease management, and disease prevention. Outside of her clinical work, she holds several leadership roles, including vice president of the Washington State Medical Association Foundation, trustee of the Washington State Medical Association, and president-elect of the Washington State Public Health Association.
AMA Foundation immediate past president Albert Ray, MD, presents the Excellence in Medicine Award to Carrie Horwitch, MD, MPH, MACP.
Dr. Horwitch has spent over 20 years in academic medicine, primarily working with internal medicine residency programs, and she continues to lead medical education efforts both nationally and internationally. Her current work includes training clinicians across several African countries to expand HIV care services, as well as collaborating with organizations like Health Volunteers Overseas and the MAVEN Project.
At age 47, Dr. Horwitch received a cancer diagnosis that would change not just her health, but her entire outlook on healing. In the midst of chemotherapy, she turned to something unexpected — laughter — and found it to be a vital tool for maintaining both physical and mental strength. That personal discovery launched a new chapter in her career. Dr. Horwitch became a certified laughter leader and founded The Laugh Doctor, an initiative dedicated to teaching others how humor and improv can foster resilience, improve communication, and strengthen well-being.
She captured this journey in her book, The Death of My Uterus and Other Humorous Events: A Collection of Stories, Poems, and Limericks about the Indignities of Cancer. With wit and honesty, she invites readers to laugh through the discomfort and absurdity of cancer treatment, offering companionship and catharsis to anyone navigating a similar path.
Read more about her services here: https://www.thelaughdoctor.com/.