Best Associations Online Video

“A World Without Academic Medicine” is a video designed for two closely connected audiences: lawmakers who shape health policy and funding decisions, and the general public whose lives are directly affected by those decisions. By speaking to both audiences at once, the video bridges policy and personal impact, translating complex systems into human consequences that are impossible to ignore. The goal is to demonstrate the indispensable role of academic medicine by explicitly imagining a world without it. Through a counterfactual narrative, the video shows what is lost when medical education, research, and patient care are disconnected. Breakthrough treatments stall, physician shortages deepen, innovation slows, and patients face fewer options and worse outcomes. This stark contrast transforms academic medicine from an abstract concept into a visible, essential force underpinning modern health care. For lawmakers, the video reframes academic medicine as critical national infrastructure—on par with transportation, energy, and education—requiring sustained investment and policy support. It underscores how decisions made in legislative chambers directly influence research advances, workforce readiness, and access to high-quality care in communities across the country. For the general public, the video grounds policy in lived experience. By highlighting what disappears in a world without academic medicine, it makes clear that these institutions are not distant or elite, but deeply woven into everyday health, longevity, and well-being. Together, the audience and goal converge into a clear message: academic medicine is not optional—it is foundational, and protecting it is essential to the health of individuals, communities, and the nation’s future.

Contributors:

Director of Digital Engagement:	Mia Bechak
Senior Director of Content and Creative:	Greg Gilderman
Digital Content Producer:	Laura Zelaya
Senior Multimedia Specialist:	De’Angello Powe

AAMC

Location: United States