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Newswise Marshall Chin, MD, MPH, the Richard Parrillo Family Professor of Healthcare Ethics in the Department of Medicine, is the new president-elect of the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) for the 2014-2015 year.

Chin, associate chief and director of research in the Section of General Internal Medicine at the University of Chicago Medicine, was elected by the national medical societys 3,000 members, who are the general internal medicine faculty at the countrys medical schools and teaching hospitals.

I am honored and humbled to be elected president of SGIM, said Chin, who is also the associate director of the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics. General internal medicine is the heart of our health care system, and patients recognize how important it is to have an excellent primary care physician who knows them and truly cares for them.

As the nations health care undergoes fundamental change, a growing spotlight has been put on primary care to find innovations in care delivery.

Chin plans to mobilize SGIMs extensive expertise in academic general internal medicine and capitalize on its members experiences in innovative care delivery models to improve the quality of care and outcomes for all patients, including the most vulnerable populations in society.

Health disparities are a major focus of Chins research. He is director of Finding Answers: Disparities Research for Change, a national program based at the University of Chicago and funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. It seeks evidence-based solutions to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities.

This dovetails with SGIMs pioneering efforts to reduce unacceptable differences in care and outcomes based on the patients race, socioeconomic status, gender, and health insurance.

Chins priorities for SGIM include using the strengths and knowledge of general internists to improve health policy and population health management. He also wants to advance primary care training and identify priority areas for research funding.

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Marshall Chin, MD, New President-Elect of Society of General Internal Medicine