Three Physicians Elected To AMA Leadership Roles For 2026

Photo: Drs. Satheesh Kathula

India-West News Desk

CHICAGO IL- Three physicians have been elected to the International Medical Graduates (IMG) Section of the American Medical Association (AMA), the largest and only national association that convenes more than 200 state and specialty medical societies and other healthcare stakeholders.

Drs. Satheesh Kathula, Deepu Sudhakaran, and Vikram B. Patel will assume office during the IMG Section’s annual meeting on June 5, 2026. International medical graduates account for more than 25% of practicing physicians in the United States.

Dr. Deepu Sudhakaran, a surgeon and longtime leader within the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, will serve as Chair of the AMA IMG Section. In the role, he will help guide national strategy and represent IMG interests within the AMA.

“The AMA IMG Section is essential in ensuring that International Medical Graduates — who make up over 30% of the U.S. physician workforce — have a voice in shaping policies that directly impact patient care, access, and workforce stability,” Sudhakaran said.

Also elected was Dr. Satheesh Kathula, an oncologist and immediate past president of AAPI. Kathula serves as a clinical professor of medicine at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine in Dayton, Ohio, and has practiced oncology for nearly 25 years.

“IMGs are the backbone of the American healthcare system,” Kathula said. “I am committed to strengthening pathways that allow them to thrive, lead, and serve with excellence.”

Dr. Vikram B. Patel, who currently chairs the IMG Section of the Illinois State Medical Society, has also held leadership roles with organizations including the World Institute of Pain, ASIPP, ABIPP, and the Midwest Pain Society.

Patel said serving in the AMA IMG Section had long been an aspiration for him.

The AMA IMG Section advocates on issues affecting physicians who completed their medical education outside the United States or Canada. The section also provides resources for potential residents navigating the residency interview process and addresses issues affecting international medical graduates.