Ramón Jesús Barrera Cruz
President, Mexican College of Internal Medicine

Dr. Ramón Jesús Barrera Cruz obtained his medical degree as a general surgeon from the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY) and completed his specialty training in internal medicine at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. He holds a postgraduate diploma in educational strategies and professionalism for the training of medical specialists from Universidad La Salle (Mexico), as well as a diploma in health institution administration from the School of Health Sciences, Universidad Marista in Mérida, Yucatán. He also earned a master’s degree in health institution administration from Universidad IEU in Puebla, Mexico. He is the President of the Colegio Mexicano de Medicina Interna (CMIM) and serves as Head of the Internal Medicine Service at Hospital Regional ISSSTE Mérida. He is a Board‑recertified internal medicine specialist by the Mexican Board of Internal Medicine. Dr. Barrera Cruz is the past President of the Yucatán Chapter of the Mexican College of Internal Medicine and previously served as Secretary General and Regional Chapter Representative of the Mexican College of Internal Medicine. He is a member of the American College of Physicians, CMIM, ALAD, and SOLAMI. He teaches undergraduate and postgraduate medical students at UADY and serves as an undergraduate professor at Universidad Anáhuac‑Mayab in Yucatán. Since 2018, he has been a Titular Councilor of the Mexican Board of Internal Medicine (Consejo Mexicano de Medicina Interna, A.C.). Dr. Barrera Cruz practices internal medicine privately at Hospital Star Médica Mérida. He is the author of multiple book chapters in internal medicine, editor of the book Internal Medicine in Obstetrics, and author of several medical articles published in indexed journals and in publications of the Mexican College of Internal Medicine.

Juan Manuel Calipuy Gálvez
President, Peruvian Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Juan Manuel Calipuy Gálvez is a specialist in internal medicine with academic certification and expertise in the management of diabetes, obesity, and diseases in the elderly. Since 2004, he has served as an attending physician at the Alberto Sabogal Sologuren National Hospital (EsSalud–Callao) and at the Center for Research and Care in Diabetes, Obesity, and Nutrition. He is a Professor of Undergraduate Medicine at Norbert Wiener Private University and San Juan Bautista Private University. Dr. Calipuy Gálvez holds an international master’s degree in diabetes and obesity, with a specialization in nutritional management, from Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University. He is a full member and the current President of the Peruvian Society of Internal Medicine. In addition, he serves as the Academic Coordinator of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at the Alberto Sabogal Sologuren National Hospital.

Omar Orlando Castillo-Fernandez
President, Panamanian Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Castillo Fernández is an internal medicine physician and medical oncologist. He holds master of science degrees in clinical research and applied statistics, pharmacoeconomic and market access, and palliative care. Dr. Castillo Fernández serves as the Head of the Medical Oncology Service at the Instituto Oncológico Nacional and is a Professor of Medicine at the Universidad de Panamá. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the President of the Panamanian Society of Internal Medicine.

Richard Češka
President, Czech Society of Internal Medicine

Professor Richard Češka is a Professor of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, and Head of the Center of Preventive Cardiology at the University General Hospital in Prague. He also serves as Vice Director of the Department of Internal Medicine–Endocrinology and Metabolism. He is the President of the Czech Society of Internal Medicine and the Honorary President of the Czech Society for Atherosclerosis, which he founded. Professor Češka is a member of the Administrative Council of the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM), a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM), and the President‑elect of ISIM. In 2014, he established the ScreenPro FH Project, an international initiative aimed at improving the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe. From 2016 to 2021, he served as Secretary of the International Atherosclerosis Society. His main scientific interests include internal medicine, preventive cardiology, clinical lipidology, and metabolism. He is the first author of nine monographs and more than 200 scientific publications and has an H‑index of 29. Professor Češka is a frequent speaker at scientific congresses and conferences. He has served as president of numerous major meetings, including the EAS Congress 2005 (Prague); the European Congress of Internal Medicine (EFIM) 2013 (Prague); the Prague European Days of Internal Medicine in 2014, 2016, and 2018; and the 37th World Congress of Internal Medicine 2024 (Prague).

Mohammad Shahabul Huda Chowdhury  
Representative, Bangladesh Society of Medicine 

Professor Mohammad Shahabul Huda Chowdhury is a Professor of Medicine and Vice Principal of Mugda Medical College in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He previously served as Professor of Medicine at Dhaka Medical College. He completed his medical degree at Chittagong Medical College and received the FCPS in Medicine from the Bangladesh College of Physicians and Surgeons. He was later awarded fellowships from the Royal College of Physicians of Glasgow and London. Since beginning his medical career in 1998, Professor Chowdhury has been actively involved in social work, community development, and public health as a program developer, researcher, teacher, and consultant to organizations, including the Bangladesh Society of Medicine and the Association of Physicians of Bangladesh. He currently serves as Editor in Chief of the Journal of Medicine. Professor Chowdhury teaches graduate‑level courses in medical colleges and in research methodology. He has led studies examining challenges in medical education in Bangladesh and has directed several funded research projects focused on health and medical education. His scholarly work has been published in national and international journals. 

Lorenzo Díaz Salazar
Representative, Honduran Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Lorenzo Díaz Salazar is an internal medicine specialist and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is the past President of the Latin American Society of Internal Medicine, and he currently serves as a member of the Board of Directors of the International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM). He is also a member of the Ibero‑American Forum of Medical Education and the RIETE research group (Computerized Registry of Patients with Venous Thromboembolism). He is a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International. His professional affiliations include the Society of Internal Medicine of Honduras and the Association of Internal Medicine of Guatemala. He is an honorary member of the Uruguayan Society of Internal Medicine and previously served as a member of the Court of Honor of the Honduran Medical College and as a member of the Technical Committee of the Postgraduate Degree in Internal Medicine. Dr. Díaz Salazar graduated as a specialist from Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala and has 16 years of professional experience. He works as a specialist at the Hospital Escuela Universitario and the Honduran Military Hospital. He is actively involved in directing and organizing the academic components of national and Latin American internal medicine congresses. As a member of the ISIM Task Force, he contributes to the organization and dissemination of scientific content for Latin America. He was an organizer of the Latin American Congress of Internal Medicine 2023 hosted in Honduras. He is coauthor of 99 Most Common Ailments in Internal Medicine (edited by SOLAMI), Choosing Wisely (edited by the International Forum of Internal Medicine), and the “Latin American Hypertension Guidelines of the International Forum of Internal Medicine.” He is also a cofounder of the Ibero‑American Forum of Medical Education.

Datuk Seri Dr. Paras Doshi
President, College of Physicians Malaysia

Professor Datuk Seri Dr. Paras Doshi graduated from the International Islamic University Malaysia, where he was awarded Best Overall Academic Scholar. He is the President of the College of Physicians Malaysia. Based at Hospital Tuanku Fauziah, Perlis, he serves as an advanced acute internal medicine consultant physician, Head of the Department of Medicine, and state physician and Head for Internal Medicine Services for Perlis. He is also the President of the Malaysian Advanced Acute Internal Medicine & Ultrasound Society. His areas of interest include physician‑led ultrasound and echocardiography. Professor Doshi is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh and a regional representative and advisor for the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He is an experienced international examiner and trainer, serving as a host examiner for the MRCPUK and MRCPI examinations. He is currently pursuing a master’s degree in medical education at Wolfson College, University of Cambridge. He also serves as the National Chairman for Parallel Pathway Postgraduate Training in Internal Medicine for the Ministry of Health and is a member of the Malaysian Medical Council Subspecialty Education Committee. His national honors include the Officer of the Order of the Defender of the Realm, the Companion Class of the Exalted Order of Melaka, and the Grand Commander of the Order of the Territorial Crown. 

Avishay Elis
Past President, Israel Society of Internal Medicine

Professor Elis is a full Professor of Medicine at the Gray Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University. He is also Head of the Department of Internal Medicine, Rabin Medical Center at Beilinson Hospital, located in Petach Tikva, Israel. He is a renowned expert in the field of lipid disorders and the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis. Professor Elis graduated from the Rappaport Faculty of Medicine at the Technion in Haifa and went on to specialize in internal medicine at Meir Medical Center. He has published more than 150 articles in scientific journals in the fields of internal medicine and atherosclerosis. Professor Elis is an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Physicians and past President of the Israel Society of Internal Medicine.

César Elizeche
President, Paraguayan Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. César Elizeche is a specialist in internal medicine and currently serves as President of the Paraguayan Society of Internal Medicine (2025–2027). He previously served as President of the Paraguayan Society of Atherosclerosis (2019–2020). He is a member of the Paraguayan Academy of Medicine and a professor at the Faculty of Health Sciences of the Universidad Católica “Nuestra Señora de la Asunción” (UCA), where he teaches both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. Dr. Elizeche is also the coordinator of the postgraduate program in internal medicine at Sanatorio Migone, UCA. He serves as Chief of the Medical Clinic Service at Sanatorio Migone Battilana in Asunción, Paraguay.

Moisés Fallas Wahrmann
President, Association of Internal Medicine of Costa Rica

Dr. Moisés Fallas Wahrmann is a specialist in internal medicine trained at the University of Costa Rica. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and an active member of the College. He currently serves as President of the Association of Internal Medicine of Costa Rica. Dr. Fallas holds a master’s degree in exercise physiology and is certified in obesity management and cardiac rehabilitation. He is the Coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Working Committee on Obesity and a member of the Committee on Sports Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation. His professional memberships include the Association of Internal Medicine of Costa Rica, Costa Rican Association of Cardiology, and European Society of Cardiology.

Ricardo Gómez-Huelgas
Past President, European Federation of Internal Medicine

Dr. Gómez-Huelgas is the Director of the Internal Medicine Department at the Regional University Hospital in Málaga, Spain, and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Málaga. Since 2004, he has led the Cardiometabolic Research Group at the Institute for Biomedical Research of Málaga, focusing on advancing research in internal medicine and cardiometabolic diseases. Dr. Gómez-Huelgas earned his certificate of specialist training in internal medicine from the Jiménez Díaz Foundation in Madrid and obtained his doctorate in medicine from the University of Málaga. He is an Honorary Fellow of the RCP Edinburgh, Sociedad Argentina de Medicina, Sociedad de Medicina Interna del Uruguay, and Romanian Society of Internal Medicine. Dr. Gómez-Huelgas is past President of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and immediate past President of the European Federation of Internal Medicine.

Nirosha Madhuwanthi Hettiarachchi
President, Sri Lanka College of Internal Medicine

Dr. Nirosha Madhuwanthi Hettiarachchi is a specialist physician in internal medicine at the Toxicology Unit, Teaching Hospital Peradeniya. She is the President (2026) of the Sri Lanka College of Internal Medicine (SLCIM) and serves as Joint Editor in Chief of the Asian Journal of Internal Medicine. A founder and Joint Secretary of SLCIM, Dr. Hettiarachchi has held several leadership roles within the College since its establishment. She is a former council member of the Ceylon College of Physicians and serves on several national expert committees, including leading the SLCIM Toxicology Expert Committee. Her key research interests include noncommunicable diseases, tropical infections, toxicology, and snakebite. She has authored more than 50 research papers, several indexed publications, and book chapters, including contributions to the Intern Survival Guide and Essential Toxicology. She is regularly invited as a speaker, abstract reviewer, and poster judge at national and international scientific conferences. Dr. Hettiarachchi is an examiner and trainer for undergraduate and postgraduate medical trainees at the Postgraduate Institute of Medicine. She is the lead author of the national hypertension guideline and a contributor to the diabetes guideline of the Ministry of Health. She also serves as Secretary of the Ethical Review Committee and Joint Secretary of the Research and Development Committee of Teaching Hospital Peradeniya and is a member of the National Ethical Review Committee of the Ministry of Health.

Barbara Christina Himmelmann-Wildschuetz
Representative, Swiss Society of General Internal Medicine

Dr. Himmelmann-Wildschuetz is a hospitalist at the Klinik Hirslanden in Zurich, Switzerland. In addition to her clinical role, she serves on the Scientific Board of the annual meeting of the Society of Zurich Internists and acts as a delegate of both the Swiss Society of General Internal Medicine and the Swiss Medical Association. Through these roles, she advocates for the field of internal medicine.

Virginia L. Hood
President, International Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Virginia L. Hood is a physician from Burlington, Vermont, and serves as Professor of Medicine Emerita at the University of Vermont. She is a nephrologist at the University of Vermont Health Network. Dr. Hood is the President of the International Society of Internal Medicine and President Emerita of the American College of Physicians. She cares for patients with kidney stones; teaches medical students, residents, and community physicians; and delivers presentations nationally and internationally on kidney disease, professionalism, and high‑value care. Dr. Hood is a medical graduate of the University of Sydney. She completed her internal medicine and nephrology training in Sydney, Australia, and received a master of public health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health in the United States.

Hans-Peter Kohler
Secretary General, International Society of Internal Medicine

Professor Kohler served as Director and chief physician of the Department of Internal Medicine at Tiefenau Hospital, Inselgruppe AG, and led the Experimental Haemostasis Group at the Department of Clinical Research, University of Bern, Switzerland, until transitioning to a full-time political career in 2018. Previously, he was Head of Internal Medicine at the Department of Trauma and Emergency Medicine at the University Hospital of Bern. In 1996, Professor Kohler was awarded a research fellowship at the University of Leeds, England, where he studied the role of the blood coagulation factor XIII gene and its relationship to cardio- and cerebrovascular disease. His research also explored the interactions between coagulation, fibrinolysis, and insulin resistance syndrome. Throughout his career, Professor Kohler played a pivotal role in merging public teaching hospitals around Bern, Switzerland’s capital, and contributed to initiatives aimed at advancing primary health care services. He has published more than 100 research papers and participated in several national and international research projects. His research interests include the role of coagulation factor XIII in vascular disease, genetics of factor XIII in relation to hemophilia and thrombosis, and the impact of common genetic variants on cardiovascular risk. Since transitioning into politics, Professor Kohler has served as a member of parliament for the County of Bern, with a focus on health policy. In 2017, he was elected as a full-time member of the local government, managing the Department for Education and Social Affairs. Professor Kohler holds Mastership in the American College of Physicians and serves as Secretary General of the International Society of Internal Medicine.

Philip Kam-tao Li
President, Hong Kong Academy of Medicine

Professor Philip Li is the President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and a consultant physician at the Prince of Wales Hospital in Hong Kong. He also serves as an Honorary Professor of Medicine at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. Professor Li holds several international and regional leadership roles in nephrology and internal medicine. He serves as President of the International Association of Chinese Nephrologists, the Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology, the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis, the Hong Kong College of Physicians, and the Hong Kong Society of Transplantation. In addition, he serves as Chairman of the Central Renal Committee of the Hospital Authority, Chairman of the Hong Kong Society of Nephrology, and Co‑Chair of the World Kidney Day Steering Committee.

Dragan Lovic
President, Serbian Association of Internal Medicine

Professor Dragan Lovic, MD, PhD, is a specialist in internal medicine and cardiology. He serves as Chief of the Hypertension Center in the Cardiology Department at the Clinic for Internal Diseases Intermedica in Niš, Serbia. He is also a Professor of Internal Medicine at Singidunum University Medical School in Niš, Serbia, and a Professor of Medicine and Cardiology at Washington DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, DC. Professor Lovic’s primary teaching and research interests include hypertension, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the pathogenesis of essential hypertension, coronary heart disease, neurohumoral activation, heart failure treatment, arrhythmias, and cardiovascular prevention. He has presented more than 500 abstracts at international conferences and published more than 150 papers in national and international journals, with more than 13,000 citations. Professor Lovic has served as a council member of the European Society of Hypertension since 2016 and as a board member of the International Society of Hypertension Regional Advisory Group since 2014. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, the European Society of Cardiology, and the European Federation of Internal Medicine. He is also recognized as a specialist in hypertension by the European Society of Hypertension. His leadership roles include past President of the Serbian Society of Hypertension, past Secretary of the Cardiology Society of Serbia, and current President of the Serbian Association of Internal Medicine. Professor Lovic also serves on the editorial boards of numerous international medical journals.

Nemencio A. Nicodemus Jr.
President, Philippine College of Physicians

Dr. Nemencio A. Nicodemus Jr. is a Board‑certified endocrinologist and the President of the Philippine College of Physicians. He has served as a member of the College’s Board of Regents since 2018. He is a full professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. Dr. Nicodemus is an attending consultant in the Department of Medicine at the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital, where he served as Vice Chair for Postgraduate Training and Training Officer from 2019 to 2024. He is a Fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians and the Philippine College of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (PCEDM). He is a past President of the PCEDM, the Philippine Thyroid Association, and the Philippine Association for the Study of Overweight and Obesity. He currently serves as a council member of the Asia and Oceania Thyroid Association.

Mumtaz Patel
President, Royal College of Physicians

Professor Mumtaz Patel is President of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), a consultant nephrologist at Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and an honorary professor at both the University of Liverpool and the University of Manchester. Elected in April 2025, she is the first woman of South Asian heritage to lead the RCP in its 500‑year history. She studied medicine at the University of Manchester, qualifying in 1996. She completed her PhD in 2006 on the genetics of lupus nephritis and became a consultant in 2007. In 2014, she earned her master’s degree in medical education, subsequently developing a national reputation in postgraduate education, assessment, and training. Professor Patel has held several senior leadership roles, including RCP Senior Censor, Vice President for Education and Training (VPET), and Global Vice President. As VPET, she led the development of a new education strategy, and as Global Vice President she expanded international engagement and launched the RCP’s Global Women Leaders Program. She previously served as Postgraduate Associate Dean for NHS England (Northwest) and is Director for Conduct and Progress at the University of Liverpool School of Medicine. She acted as RCP President from mid‑2024 before her formal election in 2025.

Chairat Permpikul
President, Royal College of Physicians of Thailand

Dr. Chairat Permpikul is a Professor of Medicine and an intensivist at Siriraj Hospital, the first and largest referral medical school in central Bangkok. His research focuses on sepsis resuscitation and ICU management, with notable publications including studies on the early use of low‑dose norepinephrine in sepsis resuscitation (the CENSER trial) and the use of hydrocortisone in early sepsis‑associated ARDS. Dr. Permpikul serves as President of the Royal College of Physicians of Thailand. He is a national leader in ICU service planning, driven by a commitment to improving the quality of critical care throughout the country.

Alfredo Pinzón Junca 
Representative, Colombian Association of Internal Medicine 

Dr. Alfredo Pinzón Junca is a physician and graduate of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, where he also completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the Hospital Universitario de La Samaritana (HUS). He brings more than 39 years of clinical experience in both ambulatory and hospital-based internal medicine, with longstanding practice at the Hospital Universitario de La Samaritana and the Simón Bolívar Hospital. He currently serves as Chief of Internal Medicine and Medical Clinics at Clínica del Country and Clínica La Colina. In addition to his clinical career, Dr. Pinzón is a trained psychoanalyst through the Colombian Psychoanalytic Association and holds a doctorate in Bioethics from Universidad El Bosque. For nearly three decades, he has been dedicated to medical education as a clinical professor with several institutions, including Universidad de La Sabana, Universidad El Bosque, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Universidad del Rosario, and Juan N. Corpas University. Dr. Pinzón has also led the Cardiovascular Risk, Thrombosis, and Anticoagulation Research Group (RICAVTA) for the past 19 years, a team endorsed by the Hospital Universitario de La Samaritana and recognized by Colombia’s Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation. He currently serves as President of the Research Ethics Committee at Fundación Clínica Shaio and is a member of the Research Ethics Committee at HUS. He is an Emeritus Member of the Colombian Association of Internal Medicine (ACMI), a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP), and an active member of the Colombian Society for the History of Medicine. 

Daniel Norberto Romano
President, Buenos Aires Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Daniel Norberto Romano was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on February 11, 1964. He graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Buenos Aires and is a specialist in internal medicine. He currently serves as President of the Buenos Aires Society of Internal Medicine. Dr. Romano is also Head of the Ambulatory Care Department at Hospital Piñero in the city of Buenos Aires. In addition to his clinical and leadership roles, he is a Professor of Internal Medicine at both the University of Buenos Aires and the Universidad Abierta Interamericana.

Jorge Luis Volquez Alcántara
President, Dominican Republic Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Jorge Luis Volquez Alcántara is a Board‑certified internal medicine physician from the Dominican Republic with extensive experience in clinical care, medical education, and professional leadership. He earned his MD from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo and completed his residency in internal medicine at Hospital Docente Padre Billini. Dr. Volquez Alcántara has served as an attending physician and faculty member for both undergraduate and postgraduate medical training programs. He has completed international clinical rotations in the United States as well as formal training in health systems and medical education. He is fluent in English and actively participates in national and international medical congresses. He currently serves in leadership roles within the Sociedad Dominicana de Medicina Interna and is the current President of the Dominican Republic Society of Internal Medicine. He remains committed to evidence‑based, humanized patient care and to ongoing academic development.

Ming‑Shiang Wu
President, Taiwan Society of Internal Medicine

Ming‑Shiang Wu, MD, PhD, is Distinguished Professor and Dean of the College of Medicine at National Taiwan University and President of the Taiwan Society of Internal Medicine. He earned both his MD (1989) and PhD (1998) from National Taiwan University and completed his residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at National Taiwan University Hospital. Professor Wu’s research centers on Helicobacter pylori, gastric carcinogenesis, gastrointestinal malignancies, and the gut microbiota. He has published more than 550 scientific papers and serves on the editorial boards of Gut and the Journal of the Formosan Medical Association. He has been recognized with numerous major honors, including the National Science Council Outstanding Research Award, the Asia Pacific Digestive Week Emerging Leader Award, and the 29th National Chair Professorship (2025).