The First Black Woman to Lead the American Medical Association

Patrice Harris, a practicing psychiatrist in Atlanta, has been chosen to be the 174th president of the American Medical Association. She will serve for one year as president-elect and become the first African American woman to lead the organization in June 2019.

Dr. Harris has served on the American Medical Association Board of Trustees since June 2011. She is a past president of the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association. She was the founding president of the Georgia Psychiatry Political Action Committee. In 2001 Dr. Harris was selected Psychiatrist of the Year by the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association. She is an adjunct assistant professor in the department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University in Atlanta. 

Dr. Harris is a native of Bluefield, West Virginia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology, a master’s degree in counseling psychology, and a medical doctorate, all from West Virginia University. She conducted her residency in psychiatry at Emory University.

Below is a video produced by Dr. Harris for her campaign to lead the American Medical Association.

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Get the JBHE Weekly Bulletin

Receive our weekly email newsletter delivered to your inbox

Latest News

Higher Education Gifts or Grants of Interest to African Americans

Here is this week’s news of grants or gifts to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.

In Memoriam: William Strickland, 1937-2024

Strickland spent his lifetime dedicated to advancing civil rights and Black political representation. For four decades, he served as a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he taught courses on Black history and the civil rights movement.

UCLA and Charles Drew University of Medicine Receive Funding to Support Equity in Neuroscience

Through $9.8 million in funding, the Dana Foundation will establish the UCLA-CDU Dana Center for Neuroscience & Society, which aims to gain a better understanding of the neuroscience needs of historically underrepresented communities in Los Angeles.

American Academy of Physician Associates Launches Program to Increase Diversity in the Field

"Increasing the representation of healthcare providers from historically marginalized communities is of utmost importance for improving health outcomes in all patients,” said Jennifer M. Orozco, chief medical officer of the American Academy of Physician Associates.

Featured Jobs