It has been a privilege and pleasure to serve as the 2018–2019 president of the Association of American Physicians (AAP). This venerable organization was founded October 10, 1885, by William Osler (president, 1895), William Pepper (president, 1891), William Draper (president, 1888), Francis Delafield (president, 1886), James Tyson (president, 1908), Robert Edes, and George Peabody, who was joined by William Welch (president, 1901) at the first meeting of this organization in Washington, DC, in 1886 for the “advancement of scientific and practical medicine”(1). Under Linda Fried (president, 2016), the goals of the AAP were further articulated as to “inspire the full breadth of physician-led research across all fields of science related to medicine and health, and to build a community of physician scientists in support of the principle that objective science and evidence are essential foundations for improving patient care and the health of Americans”(1). Additional key goals of the AAP include elections honoring physicians who have made outstanding and enduring contributions to medical science across all spectrums of specialties and to holding an annual meeting in which to meet, interact, and exchange information. The AAP now has more than 2300 elected members, of which 1700 are active and 600 are emeritus (triggered by 75 or more years of age beginning in 2019), with 60 new members elected annually (moving to up to 70 new members in 2020). The AAP spawned the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI) in 1907 and helped spawn the American Federation for Clinical Research (AFCR) in 1940. Beginning in 1940, trisociety meetings were held. In more recent years, the Joint Meeting programming is contributed by the AAP, the ASCI and the American Physician Scientists Association (APSA). All three societies have an entrenched vested interest in furthering the physician-scientist and the knowledge generated to continue to improve patient care (2).