Talkline with Hoppy Kercheval  Watch |  Listen

Native West Virginian to serve as American Medical Association president

CHICAGO, Ill.– The American Medical Association recently named a new president elect, and she is a native West Virginian.

Patrice Harris, president elect of the American Medical Association

Patrice Harris grew up in Bluefield, went to high school there, attended West Virginia University and did her residency in Charleston. She is now a psychiatrist in Atlanta and will serve as the 174th president of the AMA next year– not to mention the first female African-American president.

“It is certainly the privilege of a lifetime, and I am just honored and ready to continue to work to, as we say, move medicine forward,” Harris said.

Currently, Harris heads the AMA Opioids Task Force and is extremely involved in the issue. She understands the severity of the opioid epidemic, and she has been working to further educate physicians on treatments to pain, appropriate prescribing as well as substance-abuse disorders.

“We know that what we don’t want is that with the decrease in opioid prescriptions, we want to make sure that our patients in pain don’t suffer unintended consequences,” Harris said. “So while we decrease opioid prescriptions, we also need to make sure there is an increased access to alternatives to pain.”

Due to her West Virginia roots, Harris knows how the opioid epidemic has ravaged the state and is working to help further the problem.

“My home state has been hit particularly hard, but I do know that work is going on, so we are making progress, but we still have to keep our foot on the gas to make progress,” Harris said. “Treatment and access to treatment is a critical piece at this stage of the opioid epidemic.”

West Virginia is still an important part of Harris’s life; in fact, she serves as a trustee for WVU and comes home to Bluefield frequently, especially for big high school football games.

“West Virginia will always be important to me, and I will always work to contribute to my home state,” she said.

Harris said being the first African-American to be elected to serve as the president of the AMA is a distinction that she highly values. She hopes her serving as president can inspire other people of color to pursue careers in medicine.

“It is an honor to be the first. I hope that I can demonstrate and be a model for other persons of color who aspire to be physicians,” Harris said. “I think it’s critical to have role models out there so folks realize they can be what they want to be.”

Harris will serve until next June as the president elect and will be inaugurated as the president in Chicago in June of 2019.

Story by Jordyn Johnson





More News

News
MetroNews This Morning 3-29-24
Summary of West Virginia news, sports, and weather for Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024 - 6:24 am
News
Dunlow Volunteer Fire Department closes
The Dunlow VFD did not have a valid workers compensation insurance policy.
March 29, 2024 - 1:23 am
News
As Yeager Airport's Wildlife Patrol Dog turns 7, a new dog comes in to learn from him
The new Border Collie is getting acclimated and receiving training for his soon-to-be role.
March 28, 2024 - 6:30 pm
News
PEIA examines financial effects of new law meant to ensure local pharmacies get fair reimbursements
Gov. Jim Justice signed Senate Bill 453 into law this week.
March 28, 2024 - 4:11 pm