On January 27, 1969, the Organization of University Health Center Administrators, Inc. (later to be renamed AAHC) is established "to be the national resource for higher education concerned with issues of multiprofessional education, biomedical research, and the delivery of health care and to enhance the collective strength of the health professions institutions." 

AAHC's early years saw it function as a network for collaboration among vice presidents for health affairs (a relatively new position at universities). It developed further as a service and voice in health policy and science advocacy for academic health centers on a national level. 

Bringing together the chief financial officers and chief operating officers at academic health centers, the Senior Administrative and Fiscal Officers (SAFO) group was formed. The group continues to lead the development of timely reports, initiatives, and publications including annual Salary Surveys, the Benchmark & Metrics Initiative that led to critical research and key findings on the true cost of research at academic health centers, the Census of Academic Health Centers, and many other valuable products.

With the opening of an office in Washington, DC, the organization changed its name to the Association for Academic Health Centers, Inc. 

Previously managed by a rotation of academic health center leaders, AAHC names its first fulltime President - John R. Hogness, MD.

The Organization and Governance of Academic Health Centers -- a four-volume publication -- is released to address the changing culture and policy of universities and academic health centers. Seeing the need to address institutional accountability, increasing government regulation, and the expanding academic health center role, presence, and bureacracy, AAHC conducts an in-depth study of current organization structures and leadership needs at academic health centers nationwide.

On August 26, 1980, AAHC amended its name to the Association of Academic Health Centers, Inc.

AAHC commissions a study on the economic impact of academic health centers regionally, which culminates in a report recognizing the importance of academic health centers to their local economies.

With the announcement of Dr. Hogness stepping down as President, Roger J. Bulger, MD, is named the next president of AAHC and assumes the position in 1988.

As the nursing shortage becomes a looming crisis in the healthcare workforce, AAHC issues recommendations and establishes the Forum on Nursing to address the issue.

AAHC offices move to its current location in Washington, DC at 1400 16th Street, NW.

As workforce and leadership become major policy priorities  for the association and its membership, AAHC establishes a Leadership Diversity Program in higher education management and a program for Scholars in Academic Administration and Health Policy.

As the health workforce and national health reform take center stage, AAHC participates in White House and congressional conversations and convenes the first of twelve annual Congress of Health Professions Educators to provide a forum for dialogue among the health professions.

AAHC establishes CenterNet, the academic health center TV network - a tool for academic health centers to extend their reach in updating policy makers on the many services provided and impact of academic health centers in their communities. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan refers to it as "an influential supplement to the continuing contacts many of us have on policy and legislative issues."

AAHC becomes headquarters for Partnerships for Training, a program to promote regional partnerships and increase the number of primary care and mid-level practitioners. 

A culmination of several years of work in, and recognition of the importance of, interdisciplinary leadership in the community, building a high profile for health professions associations, and multi-professional education, AAHC establishes several Councils to lead its efforts. The Councils' efforts led to the publication of several reports, including Catalysts in Interdisciplinary Education.

AAHC publication, Mission Management, recommends cutting-edge management practices for leadership in all academic health center missions.

Recognizing the growing importance of academic health centers on a global stage,  the Association establishes a Division of Global Health.

In response to the September 11 attacks, AAHC establishes a Council on Biodefense to review potential vulnerabilities of biomedical research, resulting in the critical report Emergency Preparedness: Bioterrorism and Beyond.

AAHC releases two reports addressing key concerns for academic health center leaders:  Organization and Governance of Academic Health Centers: Fundamental issues in a New Environment; and Public Policy: Perverse Incentives & Unintended Consequences.

Steven A. Wartman, MD, PhD, assumes his tenure as president and CEO of the association on July 1, 2005.

A new logo is adopted with the full association acronym of AAHC.  

Expanding its membership reach and expertise, AAHC engages executive leadership groups (ELGs) to enhance connectivity of key leaders: SAFO, Vice Presidents for Research, Chief Compliance Officers, Chief Legal Counsel; and adds affiliate membership status to related healthcare associations and stakeholders.

New AAHC website created (changing from ahcnet.org to aahcdc.org) with expanded resources and information for member institutions and health policy stakeholders.

AAHC releases two landmark publications: 1. Out of Order, Out of Time: The State of the Nation's Health Workforce, the culmination of a three-year in-depth look at healthcare workforce shortages, this groundbreaking report focuses attention on the critical need for a new, collaborative, coordinated national health workforce planning iniatitive. 2. Clinical Trials Administration Toolkit, designed with the input of the Forum on Regulation executive leadership group to assist academic health center leaders, research administrators, and chief compliance officers in estabishing, strengthening, and improving the administrative infrastructure for the research enterprise.

Founded in 2008, the Association of Academic Health Centers International (AAHCI) brings together organizations to serve the academic health center mission, with a global vision of enhancing health and well-being worldwide. AAHCI also serves as a bridge between its international members and AAHC's US-based members.

Passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) impacts healthcare delivery and policy throughout the U.S. The ACA specifically includes AAHC recommendations to establish a National Health Care Workforce Commission to address health workforce shortages through a coordinated, national plan.

Compiling in-depth chapters written by academic health center leaders, The Confluence of Policy and Leadership in Academic Health Science Centers is published. 

As part of its efforts to address the importance of the social determiants of health (SDOH) in healthcare policy and delivery, AAHC develops a SDOH Online Toolkit for academic health centers - Wherehealthbegins.org

AAHC releases two reports: a guide to finding and transitioning leadership, Searching for Leadership: Best Practices for Acadmic Institutions; and Key Findings from the Benchmarks & Metrics Initiative detailing the costs of research at academic health centers.

AAHCI opens three Regional Offices (Middle East and North Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe) and expands regional meetings globally. A fourth Regional Office (Latin America and the Caribbean) is opened in 2017.

The Transformaton of Academic Health Centers: Meeting the Challenges of Healthcare's Changing Landscape is published. With chapters authored by academic health center leaders, the book addresses preparing for health system change, trends in research, educating the future health workforce, and planning for future disruptions in healthcare.

AAHC formally launches the Aligned Institutional Mission (AIM) Program to help member organizations set and meet strategic goals; measure organizational alignment; and benchmark their success.

The AAHC Thought Leadership Institute convenes cutting-edge thought leaders, trailblazing industries, and academic health center leadership in a series of summits and roundtables to envision the future of healthcare delivery.

New AAHC website is launched. 

Steven L. Kanter, MD, begins his tenure as the 4th President and CEO of AAHC.

AAHC/I membership expands to include 140 organizations from 26 countries.