Ask the Experts is the Rochester Academy of Medicine’s flagship public education program, created to connect the people of our community directly with the physicians, scientists, researchers, and healthcare professionals who are shaping medicine every day.

In an era where misinformation and disinformation can spread faster than facts, the Academy believes one of the most important services we can provide is bringing trusted experts directly to the public. Rather than relying on social media, headlines, or conflicting opinions online, community members have the opportunity to hear from recognized leaders in their fields, ask questions, and receive evidence-based answers in an open, welcoming environment.

The idea for Ask the Experts was born from a simple conversation between Dr. Rae-Ellen Cavey, Dr. Stephanie Clark, and Executive Director Ryan Johnson. They were discussing how the Academy could share the incredible expertise of its membership beyond the walls of the Lyon Mansion and make it more accessible to the Rochester community. At the time, the nation had recently witnessed Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's sudden cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football. Dr. Cavey, a pediatric cardiologist, mentioned that parents were asking her every day whether the same tragedy could happen to their own children while playing sports. That conversation sparked a simple but powerful idea: What if the public could sit down with the experts and ask those questions directly?