The American Board of Obesity Medicine Foundation (ABOMF) is pleased to announce that Kimberly A. Gudzune, MD, MPH, a nationally recognized obesity medicine physician, has been appointed as its first Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Gudzune will begin her role with ABOMF effective July 1, 2024.
In this newly created position, Dr. Gudzune will lead initiatives supporting the field of obesity medicine including strategy development and execution, clinical and outcomes research and engagement of ABOM-certified physicians.
“I am honored to join the ABOM Foundation at this important and exciting time,” Dr. Gudzune said. “I have dedicated my career to understanding and improving the lives of patients with obesity, and I am thrilled to develop and lead new initiatives that will continue to support and enhance this goal.”
Established in 2018, the ABOM Foundation is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that seeks to create opportunities to increase access to care for patients with obesity and support high quality research and training that expands and improves the field of obesity medicine.
Dr. Gudzune earned her medical degree from Tulane University, completed her residency in internal medicine at the University of Maryland, and completed a clinical research fellowship at Johns Hopkins. She is a Fellow of The Obesity Society.
Dr. Gudzune will bring her expertise and passion for obesity medicine to ABOMF when she transitions from her current roles as American Board of Obesity Medicine Medical Director and Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
At Johns Hopkins, she established and directed the Healthful Eating, Activity & Weight Program, an obesity medicine specialty clinic. In addition, she established the Obesity Medicine Fellowship at Johns Hopkins, led courses for medical students and elective rotations for residents in this area, and served on a committee for the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education International to develop the international requirements for subspecialty education programs in obesity medicine.
Dr. Gudzune has also been an active clinician-investigator where her research focused on obesity, including how obesity influences the healthcare experience and the efficacy of weight management interventions. She has published over 100 peer-reviewed articles in journals such as JAMA and Annals of Internal Medicine.
As ABOM Medical Director, Dr. Gudzune oversaw exam development and item writing. Most recently, she guided ABOM through a rigorous job/task analysis and validation survey that defined the body of knowledge for the obesity medicine field.
“Dr. Gudzune will significantly enhance the capacity of the ABOM Foundation to drive initiatives that lead to improved outcomes for patients with obesity,” said Judith Korner, MD, PhD, a member of the ABOM Executive Committee, which oversees the ABOMF. “She is a proven leader with expertise in research, education, and clinical program-building. Dr. Gudzune is the ideal person to steer ABOMF’s efforts to improve clinical care for patients with obesity on a national level.”