Dr. Palmer was elected as the Governor for the NM chapter of the American College of Physicians (1987-91), where he worked to advance goals of universal healthcare at a national level. 他还在一个小组中任职,就健康政策问题向新墨西哥州州长比尔理查森提供建议。 退休后,帕尔默博士在津巴布韦进行了两年的医学教学,并在富布赖特的资助下研究耐药结核病。