The Honorable Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius addressed almost 700 future physicians at AMSA's Annual Convention today at the Hyatt Regency Houston. 

Her remarks were inspiring:

"If you take only one thing away from my remarks today, I want it to be this: the people who give this advice are looking at the past. The truth is: there has never been a better time to go into medicine than right now. Yes, there are real flaws in our health care system. Yes, they will affect you and your patients. But today for the first time, there is a real shot at fixing these problems. There is a brighter future on the horizon.

You are entering medicine at a time of historic change. The combination of a wave of health innovation across the country and the most important health legislation in over forty years has created a unique opportunity for progress in health care. For the first time in decades, it’s possible to imagine making big strides towards a true 21st century health care system – one in which patients get the right care at the right time, Americans live longer, healthier lives, and doctors have more freedom to practice medicine the way they want to. And no one is in a better position to shape that future than you."