By Wendy Holdren, The Register-Herald
BECKLEY, W.Va. — Dr. Patrice A. Harris, a Bluefield native, was inaugurated Tuesday as the 174th president of the American Medical Association (AMA).
Harris, who received her medical degree from the West Virginia University School of Medicine, became the first African American woman to hold the office.
A release from the AMA said Harris, now a psychiatrist from Atlanta, will focus her tenure on these strategic arcs — attacking the dysfunction in health care by removing obstacles and burdens that interfere with patient care; driving the future of medicine by reimagining medical education, training and lifelong learning; promoting innovation to tackle the biggest challenges in health care; and leading the charge to confront the chronic disease crisis and improve the health of the nation. …