Peter Embí, MD, MS, professor and chair of Biomedical Informatics, is among 100 newly elected members of the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), the organization announced this week.
Formerly called the Institute of Medicine, NAM was established in 1970 as the health arm of the national academies. Both an honorific membership organization and an advisory organization, NAM is a national resource for independent, scientifically informed analysis, providing recommendations on a broad range of health-related issues. With more than 2,400 members, the organization collaborates closely with its peer academies, the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering.
Embí’s election comes with the following citation from NAM: “For being a pioneering physician-scientist whose career bridges health care, research, public health, and biomedical informatics. His thought leadership and research led to the field of clinical research informatics, real-world evidence generation, the safe and effective use of AI in health care, and data-driven learning health systems that improve health and care.”
Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. New members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. On its membership roster NAM currently lists 27 current and former faculty from Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt University.
“It is always gratifying to see a member of our faculty recognized in this important way,” said Jeff Balser, MD, PhD, President and CEO of Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Dean of Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “Dr. Embí’s insightful contributions to the field of biomedical informatics are increasingly involved in advancing the responsible use of artificial intelligence in health care and biomedical research. I want to offer my congratulations to Peter for this superb distinction.”
Embí, who holds the Directorship in Biomedical Informatics, joined VUMC in 2022. Prior, he served as president and CEO of the Regenstrief Institute and professor and associate dean for Informatics and Health Services Research at Indiana University School of Medicine.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be elected to the National Academy of Medicine. It is a privilege to join this esteemed group of leaders dedicated to advancing health and medicine,” said Embí, who is also professor of Medicine, senior vice president for Research and Innovation, and co-director of ADVANCE (AI Discovery and Vigilance to Accelerate Innovation and Clinical Excellence) Center. “This recognition is a testament to the support of my mentors, the collaboration of my colleagues, and the encouragement of those who have guided me along the way. I am grateful to them, and I look forward to contributing to the academy’s mission to improve health for all.”
Embí earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Florida, Gainesville, and his medical degree from the University of South Florida in Tampa. He completed residency, chief residency, an informatics fellowship and a Master of Science in medical informatics and clinical epidemiology at Oregon Health & Science University. He then completed his rheumatology and immunology fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic before joining the faculty at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.
In recognition of his contributions to the field, Embí has been elected to fellowship in the American College of Physicians, the American College of Medical Informatics, the American Medical Informatics Association and the International Academy of Health Sciences Informatics. He has also served in numerous national leadership roles, including as past president and chair of the board of directors of the American Medical Informatics Association. He also has served on many national advisory boards, including service on the Board of Scientific Counselors to the National Library of Medicine and on the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
