President’s Letter-DECEMBER 2025

Celebrating Arab American Heritage and Culture

This year, NAAMA proudly reaffirmed its commitment to honoring and uplifting Arab American cultural identity. Through conferences, community initiatives, and national advocacy, we highlighted the rich contributions, heritage, and resilience of our community. Cultural pride remains central to NAAMA’s mission and continues to guide our work.

 A Historic Year of Global Engagement

NAAMA International Convention – Dublin, Ireland (2025)
Our international meeting at Trinity College Dublin was a landmark event. Featuring outstanding scientific sessions, record global attendance, and meaningful cultural exchange, the Dublin convention set a new benchmark for NAAMA’s international collaboration and academic excellence.

🇺🇸 Washington, D.C. Convention – Strengthening Our National Voice
Our Washington, D.C. convention brought together thought leaders, policymakers, and healthcare innovators, reinforcing NAAMA’s leadership in national advocacy, healthcare policy, and community engagement.

Looking Ahead
Future NAAMA conventions are already being planned in Portugal/ Spain July 3-5, 2026 and Houston, Texas September 4-7, 2026 promising even greater global visibility and impact.

Building Bridges With Leading Organizations

Expanding institutional partnerships was a major priority this year, resulting in several meaningful collaborations, including:

A new institutional partnership with the Sudanese American Physician Association (SAPA) to advance joint educational, humanitarian, and professional initiatives.

A formal partnership with the Jordanian American Physician Association (JAPA) to expand academic exchange, mentorship, and regional collaboration.

These partnerships reinforce NAAMA’s commitment to uniting Arab American medical organizations and strengthening our collective influence through joint conferences, shared advocacy efforts, and collaborative training programs.

NAAMA also expanded engagement with U.S. medical associations, international societies, and universities throughout Europe and the Middle East, further strengthening our global academic and professional network.

Partnership With the Global Health Relief Initiative (GHRI)
Our collaboration with GHRI advanced global health initiatives, strengthened humanitarian engagement, and expanded educational and research opportunities. NAAMA proudly played a leading role in the inaugural Council of Presidents and Humanitarian Coalition Meeting, held on December 13 in Washington, D.C., convening leaders across health, humanitarian, educational, and community-focused organizations to foster long-term collaboration.

 Supporting Our Medical Students and Trainees

Developing future generations of healthcare leaders remains a core NAAMA mission. This year, we achieved:

Continued progress on the NAAMA Visiting Student Observership Program, designed to provide free U.S. clinical experience for international medical students.

Expanded mentorship, networking, and leadership development across chapters.

Strengthened advocacy for Arab American students and international medical graduates navigating the U.S. medical training system.

Launching Women in NAAMA

One of the year’s most meaningful milestones was the launch of Women in NAAMA, a dedicated initiative to empower, support, and elevate women within our organization. This initiative aims to:

Expand leadership opportunities for women in NAAMA

Promote mentorship, professional development, and networking

Spotlight the achievements of Arab American women in medicine

Foster a collaborative and inclusive environment for future generations

The establishment of Women in NAAMA reflects our enduring commitment to equity, representation, and inclusive leadership.

 Supporting Our People in the Arab World

During especially difficult times in Gaza, Lebanon, and other regions, NAAMA remained steadfast in its humanitarian mission through:

Disaster relief and emergency medical support

Educational assistance for current and future healthcare professionals

Efforts to help rebuild essential healthcare infrastructure

These initiatives underscore NAAMA’s unwavering dedication to serving communities in crisis.

Advocating for Arab American Health Equity

NAAMA strengthened its leadership in public health and equity advocacy by:

Supporting the MENASA Clinical Research Participation Summit

Advancing accurate ethnic representation of Arab Americans in health data

Partnering with national institutions to address health disparities impacting Arab and Middle Eastern communities

We also released a major new resource: The Arab and Muslim American Health Policy Brief and Cultural Competency Guidelines, now available on our website. This guide equips healthcare institutions with culturally informed tools to deliver equitable and effective care.

Strengthening NAAMA’s Infrastructure and Future

This year, we made significant strides in building NAAMA’s long-term strength and sustainability, including:

Improved communication and organizational transparency

Tripling our membership through a strong emphasis on the Lifetime Membership model, acquiring 60 Lifetime Members

Increased chapter engagement and collaboration

Establishment of new North Texas Chapter and DMV Chapter 

Strengthened leadership continuity and strategic planning

NAAMA is stronger, more unified, and better positioned for the future than ever before.

 A Personal Note of Gratitude and Transition

Serving as President of NAAMA has been one of the greatest honors of my career. I am deeply grateful to the Executive Committee, Board of Directors, committee chairs, chapter leaders, volunteers, NAAMA manager Ms. Rouba Samman and every member who contributed to this year’s achievements. Our success truly belongs to all of us.

As my term concludes, I am proud to share that I am leaving NAAMA in the capable, visionary, and dedicated hands of our next President, Dr. Nidal Moukaddam. I have full confidence in her leadership and her commitment to advancing NAAMA’s mission with strength, innovation, and compassion. Under her guidance, I am certain the organization will continue to flourish and reach new heights.

Thank you for your trust, dedication, and partnership.

With sincere appreciation,

Raed Al-Naser, MD
President, National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA)