Two California Medical Association (CMA) physicians were elected to the American Medical Association (AMA) Board of Trustees at the association's annual meeting in Chicago.

San Diego pediatrician and palliative care specialist Toluwalase “Lase” Ajayi, M.D., was elected as a trustee representing AMA’s Young Physician Section. Dr. Ajayi is the director of clinical research and diversity initiatives at Scripps Research Translational Institute, the medical director of the Scripps Mercy Palliative Care team, a pediatric hospitalist, and a home-based pediatric palliative care physician. She is currently serving as president of the San Diego County Medical Society and as the CATCH grant facilitator for the American Academy of Pediatrics CA-3 Chapter, helping to connect community pediatricians to grants for research and quality improvement.

On the state level, Dr. Ajayi is chair of CMA’s Council of Medical Services. She collaborates across specialties and practice modalities to expand and modernize CMA policies on topics like the future of medical service in a post pandemic world, reducing administrative burdens, accelerating advances in telehealth for physician practice and improved access to care.

At AMA, Dr. Ajayi has served in leadership positions throughout the Young Physician Section including currently as immediate-past chair.

Radiologist Alex Ding, M.D., was elected to AMA’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Ding has been active in organized medicine since medical school and has served in numerous leadership positions throughout the Federation. He currently chairs the AMA Council on Science and Public Health, and has served on the AMA Council on Legislation, AMPAC Board of Directors, and as the resident/fellow physician member of the AMA Board of Trustees. He has been a member CMA member since 2003 and has served on the board of the CMA Political Action Committee (CALPAC), and on the CMA Council on Legislation and the CMA Council on Science and Public Health. Dr. Ding is also a past president of the San Mateo County Medical Association.

After nearly 20 years of advocacy on behalf of the physicians of California, Dr. Ding recently relocated to Louisville, Kentucky, where he is a clinical assistant professor at the University of Louisville and is physician executive-in-residence in the Office of the Chief Medical Officer at Humana.

“It is an honor and privilege to be elected by my peers to the AMA Board of Trustees at this critical moment for medicine,” said Dr. Ding. “AMA advocacy has provided vital lifelines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, cutting through misinformation, validating the vaccine approval process, and offering timely support and guidance to physician practices in their time of need. I am eager to get started in this new role as we advocate for the Recovery Plan for America’s Physicians.”