Frederik (Freek) C.J. Bester
President, Faculty of Consulting Physicians of South Africa

Dr. Frederik (Freek) C.J. Bester is a specialist physician practicing at Life Rosepark Hospital in Bloemfontein, South Africa, since 1994. He has served as Chairman of the hospital’s Clinical Advisory Committee, Antibiotic Stewardship Committee, and COVID-19 Action Group. Since December 2020, he has been the President of the Faculty of Consulting Physicians of South Africa (FCPSA). Dr. Bester earned his bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery from the University of the Free State, South Africa, followed by his master of medicine and fellowship of the College of Physicians (SA) in 1993. During his studies, he was active in student leadership, serving on the Medical and General Student Representative Council and later as Chairman of the Student Community Service Organization. His academic excellence was recognized with the MER National Bursary (1984) and the university’s DUX Student Award (1985). In 2023, Dr. Bester was honored with an honorary fellowship of the American College of Physicians (FACP). His early research focused on epidemiological studies among older individuals of diverse racial backgrounds in South Africa, and he played a key role in establishing elderly care services in Bloemfontein. As a founding member of the African Gerontological Society (1987), he served as the first editor of the African Gerontological Journal. Dr. Bester has authored 13 scientific papers and delivered numerous presentations on basic research findings. In 2004, he contributed to a book on the pathological effects of psychological trauma. Over the past 2 decades, he has held leadership roles, including President-Elect of the Central Branch of the South African Medical Association and Executive Committee (EXCO) Member of the South African Medical Association. He also serves on various advisory boards and speaker panels within the pharmaceutical industry and frequently gives talks and radio interviews on diverse medical topics. With extensive experience in health and health economics, Dr. Bester was listed in Who’s Who in the World (15th edition, 1998). In 2012, he was invited to join the Strategic Advisory Committee of the MRC Medical Device Innovation Platform. As part of the Organizing Committee for the World Congress of Internal Medicine (2018) in Cape Town, he contributed to global medical discussions. In 2024, he became an Executive Council Member of the International Society of Internal Medicine. Born in Kokstad, South Africa, Dr. Bester is married to Jeannette (Wattie) and has five children. A strong advocate for an active lifestyle, he has completed the Cape Town Argus Cycle Tour nine times. Recently, he published his first poetry collection in Afrikaans.

Ramón Jesús Barrera Cruz
President, Mexican College of Internal Medicine

Dr. Barrera Cruz earned his medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY) and completed his internal medicine training at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). He also holds a master’s in health administration from the Instituto de Estudios Universitarios (IEU) in Puebla, México. A dedicated educator, Dr. Barrera Cruz serves as a Postgraduate Professor at Universidad Anáhuac-Mayab in Yucatán. He is an accomplished author, contributing to indexed medical journals and publications affiliated with the Mexican College of Internal Medicine. Currently, Dr. Barrera Cruz is the President of the Mexican College of Internal Medicine.

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

Dr. Castillo-Fernandez is an internal medicine physician and medical oncologist. He holds master of science degrees in science in clinical research-applied statistics, pharmacoeconomic and market access, and palliative care. Dr. Castillo-Fernandez 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 (FACP) and the President of the Panamanian Society of Internal Medicine.

Richard Češka
President, Czech Society of Internal Medicine

Richard Češka is professor of internal medicine (Faculty of Medicine, Charles University), head of the Center of Preventive Cardiology at the University General Hospital in Prague, and vice director of the Department of Internal Medicine-Endocrinology and Metabolism. He holds the position of the president of the Czech Society of Internal Medicine, and as a founder of the Czech Society for Atherosclerosis, he is an honorary president of this society. Professor Češka is a member of the Administrative Council of the European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM) and a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM). He established a ScreenPro FH Project in 2014. The ScreenPro FH Project is an international project for improvement of the screening, diagnosis, and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) in central, eastern, and southern Europe (CESE). From 2016 to 2021, he was a secretary of the International Atherosclerosis Society (IAS). His main scientific interests include internal medicine, preventive cardiology, clinical lipidology, and metabolism. He is first author of 9 monographs, over 200 scientific publications, and has an h-index rating of 29. He regularly participates as a speaker at scientific congresses and conferences; in addition, he was a president of the EAS Congress 2005, Prague (3,000 participants); president of the European Congress of Internal Medicine (EFIM) 2013, Prague (1,500 participants); and president of the Prague European Days of Internal Medicine (PEDIM) 2014, 2016, and 2018, Prague. Professor Češka was also the president of the 37th World Congress of Internal Medicine (WCIM) 2024, Prague.

Shan-Chwen Chang
Honorary President, Taiwan Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Shan-Chwen Chang is the Executive Vice President of National Taiwan University and a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan. He also served as Chairman of the CECC Expert Advisory Committee during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Chang has been involved in the study of antimicrobial resistance since his PhD training and has worked extensively in infection control at both the hospital and national levels since 1988. He has published more than 500 peer-reviewed articles in the fields of antimicrobial resistance, nosocomial infections, and emerging infectious diseases. Since 2000, Dr. Chang has served as Chairman of the Advisory Committee of Infection Control for the Taiwan CDC and as Project Leader of the National Antimicrobial Stewardship Program in Taiwan. He is the Honorary Chairperson of the 38th World Congress of Internal Medicine (WCIM 2026), a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and Honorary President of the Taiwan Society of Internal Medicine.

Lorenzo Díaz Salazar
Special Representative, Honduran Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Díaz Salazar is a specialist in internal medicine with 16 years of experience, having trained at Francisco Marroquín University in Guatemala. He practices at Hospital Escuela Universitario and the Honduran Military Hospital. Beyond clinical practice, Dr. Díaz Salazar is actively involved in medical education and congress organization. He plays a key role in directing and organizing the academic programs for national and Latin American internal medicine congresses. As a member of the Task Force of the International Society of Internal Medicine, he contributes to the organization and dissemination of scientific content for Latin America. In 2023, he organized the Latin American Congress of Internal Medicine hosted in Honduras. Dr. Díaz Salazar is also a prolific author, co-authoring 99 Most Common Ailments in Internal Medicine, published by SOLAMI; Choosing Wisely, edited by the International Forum of Internal Medicine; and The Hypertension Guidelines for Latin America, developed by the International Forum of Internal Medicine. Additionally, he is the co-founder of the Ibero-American Forum of Medical Education, furthering his commitment to advancing medical education across the region.

María Lourdes del Rosario Escalera-Rivero
Past President, Bolivian Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. María Lourdes del Rosario Escalera-Rivero is a specialist in internal medicine and diabetology and a subspecialist in clinical nutrition and food science. She also holds expertise as a pain specialist. Dr. Escalera-Rivero practices as an internal medicine physician at the Clinical Hospital in La Paz, Bolivia. A dedicated contributor to medical literature, she is the co-author of Foundations of Diabetes Mellitus in Internal Medicine: Current Perspective of the Internist and Selected Topics in Tropical Medicine. Dr. Escalera-Rivero is an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Physicians and has served as the Past President of the Bolivian Society of Internal Medicine.

Ricardo Gómez-Huelgas
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. Dr. Gómez-Huelgas is Past President of the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and President of the European Federation of Internal Medicine.

Virginia L. Hood
President, International Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Hood is a physician based in Burlington, Vermont, and Professor of Medicine Emerita at the Robert E. Larner, M.D. College of Medicine, University of Vermont. She is also a nephrologist at the University of Vermont Medical Center, where she previously cared for patients with chronic kidney disease, hypertension, and fluid and electrolyte disorders. Her current focus is on kidney stone prevention. A dedicated educator, Dr. Hood has taught acid-base physiology, epidemiology, ethics, and internal medicine to medical students, residents, and community physicians. Her scholarly work includes research in acid-base metabolism, diabetes prevention and health promotion, blood pressure control and quality improvement, and high-value care. Dr. Hood has presented nationally and internationally on chronic kidney disease, blood pressure management, kidney stone prevention, and high-value care. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Vermont Health Network (UVMHN) and chairs its Population Health Committee. Dr. Hood has held several leadership positions, including President Emerita of the American College of Physicians (ACP), former Governor of the ACP Vermont Chapter, former member of the ACP Board of Regents (BOR), past Chair of the ACP Ethics, Professionalism, and Human Rights Committee (EPHRC), and past Chair of the ACP International Council. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM) and currently serves as President. Dr. Hood earned her medical degree from the University of Sydney and completed her internal medicine residency at Mater Misericordiae Hospital and nephrology fellowship at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, Australia. She also holds a master’s in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts.

Richard Hull
Vice President, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow

Dr. Hull has been Vice President Medical of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow since 2023. He had previously been Honorary Secretary of the College for 7 years. He was previously Regional Advisor for Wessex from 2008. He was appointed as consultant rheumatologist at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Portsmouth in 1989. After graduation from the University of Birmingham, he trained in the Aberdeen Hospitals; the Hammersmith Hospital, London (Royal Postgraduate Medical School); the Canadian Hospital at Taplow; and Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow. He has written widely and contributed to standards of care and management guidelines on inflammatory arthritis and connective tissue diseases and rheumatic diseases in childhood and young adults. He is a past convener of the British Society for Pediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology, member of the Council of the British Society for Rheumatology, and former President of the Section of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation of the Royal Society of Medicine. He is a former trustee and Chairman of the Clinical and Medical Advisory Board of Arthritis Care. He has been an MRCP UK (PACES) examiner for over 20 years examining for Glasgow College. As Clinical Director, he introduced innovations in practice that have been recognized by the UK National Audit Commission’s report on arthritis to Parliament in 2009; the British Society for Rheumatology Best Practice, Outstanding Award in 2013; and the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society, Healthcare Champion status in 2012 and 2016.

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 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 over 100 research papers and participated in multiple 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 (MACP) and Secretary General of the International Society of Internal Medicine (ISIM).

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

Professor Philip Kam-tao Li is the President of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine and a consultant physician in the Department of Medicine and Therapeutics at Prince of Wales Hospital. He also serves as an Honorary Professor of Medicine at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and as the Director of the Carol and Richard Yu Peritoneal Dialysis Research Centre. A prominent leader in nephrology, Professor Li is the President of the International Association of Chinese Nephrologists. He previously served as President of the Hong Kong College of Physicians from 2016 to 2022, President of the Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology from 2016 to 2019, and President of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis from 2014 to 2016. In addition, he has held several key roles, including Chairman of the Central Renal Committee of the Hospital Authority, Chairman of the Hong Kong Society of Nephrology, and President of the Hong Kong Transplantation Society. He has also contributed internationally as Chairman of the World Kidney Day International Steering Committee, Executive Member of the International Society of Nephrology, and a member of the Scientific Committee of the American Society of Nephrology (ASN). Professor Li’s contributions to nephrology have been widely recognized with numerous international awards. He received the International Distinguished Medal from the National Kidney Foundation, USA, in 2012, the Priscilla Kincaid-Smith Award from the Asian Pacific Society of Nephrology in 2020, the Oreopoulos Award from the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis in 2022, and the Belding H. Scribner Award from the American Society of Nephrology in 2023.

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 VAMC University 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 over 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 (FACP), the European Society of Cardiology (FESC), and the European Federation of Internal Medicine (FEFIM). 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 Serbian Society of Cardiology, and current President of the Serbian Association of Internal Medicine. Professor Lovic also serves on the editorial boards of numerous international medical journals.

Jennifer Martin
President, Royal Australasian College of Physicians

Dr. Martin is a practicing general physician and clinical pharmacologist at John Hunter Hospital and the University of Newcastle in Australia. She teaches medical students in medicine and pharmacology and leads two research programs focused on the clinical pharmacology of cancer drugs and antimicrobial therapies. Dr. Martin serves as President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and Chair of the Board. She is committed to training a medical workforce that can serve the complex needs of rural, regional, and remote communities across Australia and New Zealand, while also supporting the growth and practice of Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and Māori health care professionals.

Imelda M. Mateo
President, Philippine College of Physicians

Dr. Mateo is the President of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) Board of Regents, where she has served as a member since 2017. She chaired the 54th PCP Annual Congress Organizing Committee and is an active consultant at St. Victoria Hospital and Marikina Valley Medical Center, as well as a visiting consultant at the Lung Center of the Philippines. She is a member of the Framework Convention Alliance on Tobacco Control, Philippine Chapter, and the Immediate Past President of the Philippine College of Chest Physicians. Dr. Mateo also holds leadership positions as Vice President for Metro Manila in the Association of Hospital Administrators in Government Service, Inc., and Vice President of Action on Smoking and Health, Philippines. Additionally, she serves as a Board Trustee for Health Care Without Harm, East Asia. Her previous roles include Chair of the PCP Committee on Residency Training Program (2008–2017) and member of the PCP Committee on Accreditation (2003–2008). Dr. Mateo earned her MBA in health from the Ateneo Graduate School of Business (2008–2011) and completed a fellowship in pulmonary medicine at St. Luke’s Medical Center (1994–1996), where she served as chief fellow. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Rizal Medical Center (1988–1992), where she was chief resident. She has made significant contributions to the Department of Health, serving on various consensus panels and committees. As the Medical Center Chief II at Amang Rodriguez Memorial Medical Center, she chaired the COVID Task Force Committee. Her numerous awards include the JCI Senate Philippines & PMA Outstanding Filipino Physicians Award (2022) and the PMA Dr. Jose P. Rizal Award for Government Service (2021).

Sally Aman Nasution
President, Indonesian Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Nasution is an internal medicine physician–cardiologist from Indonesia, specializing in intensive cardiac care. She serves as a physician in the Intensive Cardiac Care Unit–Integrated Heart Services Unit at Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo National General Hospital in Jakarta, Indonesia, the country’s leading national referral hospital. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Nasution is a senior lecturer in the Cardiology Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Indonesia, where she plays a key role in training internal medicine physicians and cardiologists. Dr. Nasution has an extensive research background, contributing to more than 20 international publications. Her primary research interests include acute coronary syndrome, arrhythmia, and heart failure. She is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and President of the Indonesian Society of Internal Medicine.

Homero Luis Puello Galarcio
President, Colombian Association of Internal Medicine

Dr. Puello Galarcio is an internal medicine physician at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (FACP) and holds a Certificate in Physician Leadership for Hospital Medicine, awarded by the ACP and the American Association for Physician Leadership. Dr. Puello Galarcio currently serves as President of the Colombian Internal Medicine Association (ACMI) (2024–2026) and Chancellor of the International Internal Medicine Forum (FIMI).

Serhat Ünal
President, Turkish Society of Internal Medicine

Dr. Serhat Ünal, who graduated from Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine in 1981, received his specialist training in Internal Medicine between 1981 and 1985 and in Infectious Diseases in 1989-1990. He also received specialist training in Infectious Diseases at the Internal Medicine Department of New England Deaconess Hospital, Harvard Medical School in the United States between 1990 and 1992. He was appointed associate professor in 1989 and professor in 1995. Between 1991 and 2013, Dr. Ünal worked as a faculty member at the Infectious Diseases Unit of the Department of Internal Medicine at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, and served as the Head of the Department of Internal Medicine from 2001 to 2013. In 2013, he was elected as the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, a position he still holds. Dr. Ünal served as the Dean of Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine from 2006 to 2011. In 2018, he was appointed as the Director of the newly established Hacettepe University Vaccine Institute, and in 2022, he was appointed as the Vice Rector of Hacettepe University. He is the founding president of the Turkish Hospital Infections Society, which was established in 2000. In addition, he was elected as the president of the Turkish Society of Internal Medicine Specialists in 2010. Since 2014, he has been a member of the board of the International Society of Chemotherapy. Dr. Serhat Ünal is a member of the Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases Association (KLIMIK), the International Society of Infectious Diseases (ISID), the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), and the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID).

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

Dr. Jorge Luis Volquez Alcántara is the President of the Dominican Republic Society of Internal Medicine. He earned his medical degree from the Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD), Dominican Republic, in 2000 and completed his internal medicine residency at Padre Billini Hospital in 2015, where he served as chief resident in 2014. Dr. Volquez holds a master’s degree in university management and teaching from Universidad Católica Santo Domingo (2022) and is a faculty member at the UASD medical school. He has also been an instructor for the Internal Medicine Residency Program at Padre Billini Hospital in Santo Domingo. In 2021, he earned the title of University Expert in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Heart Failure and Coronary Heart Disease from Universidad Católica de Murcia, Spain.

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

Dr. Fallas Wahrmann is an internal medicine specialist with a master’s in exercise physiology and SCOPE Certification in Obesity. He practices as a hospitalist within Costa Rica’s social security system and as an internal medicine physician in private practice. In addition to his clinical work, he is actively involved in medical education and professional leadership. He is currently President of the Costa Rican Association of Internal Medicine, coordinator of the Interdisciplinary Working Committee on Obesity, and a Postgraduate Professor of Internal Medicine at the University of Costa Rica.