The New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM) was founded in 1847 by a group of leading New York City

New York City

New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...

 metropolitan area

Metropolitan area

The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...

 physicians as a voice for the medical profession in medical practice and public health

Public health

Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...

 reform. The Academy quickly established the Metropolitan Board of Health

Metropolitan Board of Health

The New York City Metropolitan Board of Health was the first modern municipal public health authority in the United States. It was founded in 1866 by the New York Academy of Medicine, following a campaign led by Dr. Stephen Smith...

, the first modern municipal public health authority in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

The Academy moved to its current location in 1926: 1216 Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue (Manhattan)

Fifth Avenue is a major thoroughfare in the center of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, New York, United States. The section of Fifth Avenue that crosses Midtown Manhattan, especially that between 49th Street and 60th Street, is lined with prestigious shops and is consistently ranked among...

, near Central Park

Central Park

Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...

 in Manhattan

Manhattan

Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...

. In recent years the Academy has functioned as an effective advocate in public health reform, as well as a major center for health education

Health education

Health education is the profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health...

. The Academy Library, on premises, is one of the three largest medical collections in the United States and is open to general public. It is very extensive, including original writings by Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud

Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...

 and a prototype of George Washington

George Washington

George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...

's dentures

Dentures

Dentures are prosthetic devices constructed to replace missing teeth, and which are supported by surrounding soft and hard tissues of the oral cavity. Conventional dentures are removable, however there are many different denture designs, some which rely on bonding or clasping onto teeth or dental...

, constructed from actual teeth that were donated.

In 1939, the Academy prepared Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia's LaGuardia Commission

LaGuardia Commission

The La Guardia Committee was the first in depth study into the effects of smoking marijuana. It systematically contradicted claims made by the U.S...

 report, that when released in 1944 infuriated Harry Anslinger and his campaign against marijuana

Cannabis (drug)

Cannabis, also known as marijuana among many other names, refers to any number of preparations of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug or for medicinal purposes. The English term marijuana comes from the Mexican Spanish word marihuana...

.

Today, the Academy has over three-thousand Fellow

Fellow

A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...

s, that include doctors, nurses, health care

Health care

Health care is the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease, illness, injury, and other physical and mental impairments in humans. Health care is delivered by practitioners in medicine, chiropractic, dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, allied health, and other care providers...

 administrators, and professionals in all fields dedicated to maintaining and improving health.

Awards

The Academy rewards since 1929 every year individuals who delivered exceptional contributions. There are currently five categories in these awards:

• John Stearns Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Medicine. Awarded since 1992 and named after John Stearns, who was the first president of the Academy.
• Stephen Smith Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Public Health. Awarded since 2005 and named after Dr. Stephen Smith
  Stephen Smith (surgeon)
  Stephen Smith was an American surgeon and a pioneer in public health.-Biography:He was born on February 19, 1823 in Skaneateles, New York...
  
  , who was a pioneer in public health
  Public health
  Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
  
  .
• Academy Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Health Policy. Awarded since 2008.
• Academy Medal for Distinguished Contributions in Biomedical Science. The oldest medal of the Academy, awarded since 1929.
• Academy Plaque for Exceptional Service to the Academy. Awarded since 1952.