Final answer:
The main purpose of the activities of physician associations like the AMA is to protect and represent the interests of physicians, improve working conditions, and promote healthcare policies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main purpose of the concerted activities of physicians, mainly through associations such as the American Medical Association (AMA), is to protect the interests of physicians. These professional societies and trade associations, while not unions, work to improve working conditions, network, promote new practices or ideas, and represent the interests of their industries as a collective. They are involved in a variety of issues including healthcare, insurance, employment, financial security, and consumer protection. For instance, the AMA's advocacy impacts health care policy and medical standards across the nation, and it attempts to represent all physicians regardless of specialty or race, whereas other organizations like the Association of Black Cardiologists may have more focused representation. These associations also play a role in informing the public and lawmakers about various issues, promoting policies that benefit their members, and lobbying for legislation like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to influence the healthcare system overall.