Former ACGME President and CEO Dr. Thomas J. Nasca Receives AAMC's Highest Honor in Medical Education

The ACGME congratulates former President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Thomas J. Nasca, MD, MACP on receiving the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC)’s 2026 Award for Excellence in Medical Education, the organization's most prestigious recognition for contributions to advancing medical education.

The award honors individuals whose work has made a demonstrable impact on medical education through national leadership, scholarship, teaching, mentorship, and a commitment to professional integrity.

In announcing the award, the AAMC highlighted Dr. Nasca’s impact on academic medicine and medical education. One colleague described him as having had “an impact on medical education that is probably greater than that of any other living individual,” while another noted that his “leadership and wisdom are priceless.”

Dr. Nasca served as the ACGME’s President and CEO from 2007 to 2025, helping shape some of the most significant advancements in graduate medical education (GME) during that time. His leadership contributed to the development of the Milestones, the Clinical Learning Environment Review Program, The Journal of Graduate Medical Education, ACGME International, and the transition to a single GME accreditation system, initiatives that continue to influence physician education and training in the US and around the world.

The AAMC recognized Dr. Nasca’s nearly five decades of service to academic medicine and his enduring impact on medical education, noting his visionary leadership, commitment to learners and educators, and lasting contributions to the future of the physician workforce.

The ACGME joins the academic medicine community in congratulating Dr. Nasca on this well-deserved honor.