ATLANTA, July 27 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The National Medical Association (NMA) celebrated a host of leaders and organizations for outstanding achievement in the elimination of health disparities at its Opening and Awards Ceremony on Saturday July 26. Special guests, Former Health and Human Services Secretary, Dr. Louis Sullivan and Democratic National Committee Chair, Dr. Howard Dean, praised the distinguished honorees, concluding a day of opening festivities for the NMA 2008 Convention.
The nation’s foremost conference devoted to medical science and African American health, the NMA’s Annual Conference and Scientific Assembly convenes in Atlanta from July 26-31 and brings together the most prominent medical scholars, scientists, practitioners, government experts and health care advocates in the country.
Each year the NMA Opening Awards Ceremony recognizes those who exemplify visionary leadership, service and extraordinary achievement in health care for African Americans. President of the National Medical Association, Dr. Nelson L. Adams, III, said, “We celebrate our colleagues and friends in furthering the goals and objectives of the National Medical Association.”
This year’s honorees include:
— David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., Former Surgeon General and Director of the Center for Excellence on Health Disparities
— Robert J. Smith, M.D., Chief Surgeon, Middle Tennessee Medical Center and Associate Professor, Meharry Medical College
— Henry W. Foster, Jr., M.D.- Professor Emeritus and Former Dean of Meharry School of Medicine and Clinical Professor, Vanderbilt University
— Frederick N. Quarles, M.D., dermatology expert and consultant, Principal, Quarles Dermatology, co-author of “Skin Deep: A History of Black Dermatology.”
— Rebat M. Halder, M.D., Chairman, Department of Dermatology, Howard University College of Medicine
— Michael R. DeBaun, M.D., M.P.H., hematology-oncology expert and Professor of Pediatrics, Biostatics and Neurology
— Olufijnmilayo (Funmi) Olopade, M.D., MBBS, FACP, cancer specialist and Founding Director, Center for Clinical Genetics, University of Chicago
— State Senator Frederica S. Wilson, (D-CA), public education advocate and Democratic Leader Pro Tempore, Florida Senate
— AstraZeneca US-NMA Corporate Circle Partner, global leader in pharmaceuticals
— Medtronic-NMA Corporate Circle Partner and global leader in medical technology
— The James Wilson Bridges, M.D. Medical Society – NMA Affiliate, (Miami, Florida)
The awards conferred included the Scroll of Merit, the National Medical Association’s highest award, Cobb Lifetime Achievement Award; Practitioner of the Year, Distinguished Service, Meritorious Achievement, Corporate Circle Partner and Medical Society of the Year.
“We are grateful to work with an organization so committed to working with patients and improving health outcomes,” said Lisa Davis, Vice-President of Communications who accepted the award on behalf of AstraZeneca, a NMA Corporate Circle Partner.
This year’s NMA Opening Awards presented Atlanta’s own, David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D. with the esteemed Cobb Lifetime Achievement Award, named after one of NMA’s past presidents, Dr. William Montague Cobb for extraordinary achievement in research and advocacy for health care.
Nedra H. Joyner, M.D., Chair of the Board of Trustees of the NMA said, “The Opening and Award Ceremony is an opportunity to recognize the contributions of our pioneers in medicine. We continue a legacy of paying homage to our leaders.”
About the National Medical Association
Founded in 1895, the NMA is a nonprofit organization that is the nation’s oldest and largest medical association representing the interest of more 30,000 African American physicians and their patients. The NMA advocates health care for policies that would assure equitable and quality health care for all.
National Medical Association
CONTACT: Lanni Thomas, +1-404-502-9109, Alisa Mosley,+1-240-350-7531
Web site: http://www.nmanet.org/
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