Dr. Edith F. Smith Rayford is the Region III Chair of the National Medical Association and immediate past treasurer for Region III. She completed her chief residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Albert Einstein in Philadelphia, PA. She received her M.D. degree from Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN where she also completed her internship and started residency. Her undergraduate education was at Tougaloo College in MS with scholastic internships at Yale University in New Haven, CT and The National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. Her passion for advancement in the business and administration area of medicine inspired her to acquire a physician executive MBA from University of Tennessee in Knoxville. She is a member of Alpha Omega Alpha honor society, a Distinguished Alumni at Meharry and a Hall of Fame Alumni Inductee at Tougaloo College.
Post training, Dr. Smith Rayford decided to return to her home in Mississippi. She has devoted her professional career to community health. She serves as the Director of Central MS Community Health Services Southwest location. She also serves as Section Chief for Woman’s Health Services at Merit Central Hospital in Jackson MS; where she also serves on the Medical Executive Committee. Within the medical community, she is a tireless advocate for the underserved population and enjoys proctoring / attending / mentoring residents and students.
Dr. Smith Rayford is married to Richard Rayford, M.D., Ph.D. (Cardiologist). They have two children: Richard II & Margie (Meharry Medical College 2020 M.D. graduate), a daughter-in-law Simeona and two grandchildren – Richard III and Meona.
✨ Happy New Year from the National Medical Association! We look forward to another year of advancing health equity, strengthening physician leadership, and advocating for our communities nationwide. Wishing our members and partners a healthy and impactful year ahead. ✨
#HappyNewYear #NMA #HealthEquity #PhysiciansForJustice
✨ Wishing our members, partners, and communities a Happy Holiday season and a healthy, hopeful New Year. Thank you for your continued dedication to advancing health equity and excellence in medicine. ✨
#HappyHolidays #NMA #HealthEquity #PhysiciansForJustice
🚨 NMA STATEMENT | ACA Premium Subsidies 🚨
The NMA strongly condemns the U.S. Senate’s failure to advance legislation that would have extended Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies, placing millions of Americans at risk of dramatic health insurance premium increases.
Allowing these subsidies to expire will lead to higher premiums, increased underinsurance and uninsurance, delayed care, and poorer health outcomes, with the greatest harm falling on working families, seniors, and communities already facing health disparities.
At a time when nearly half of U.S. adults struggle to afford health care, access to affordable coverage should not be temporary or subject to political gridlock. Health care affordability is essential to health equity and public health.
The NMA calls on policymakers to act swiftly and in a bipartisan manner to restore and extend these vital subsidies before the December 31 deadline.
📄 Read the full statement: nmanet.org
#NMA #HealthEquity #ACA #AffordableCare #BlackPhysicians #PublicHealth #HealthPolicy #ProtectPatients
📣 REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!
The National Medical Association invites you to join us in Washington, DC for the
National Colloquium on African American Health.
🗓 March 19–22, 2026
📍 Washington, DC
This premier convening brings together physicians, public health leaders, policymakers, and advocates to advance health equity, influence policy, and elevate the health priorities of Black communities nationwide.
Be part of the critical conversations shaping the future of African American health—and make your voice heard where it matters most.
Register now and plan to join us in DC: https://bit.ly/3KZb556
#NMA #NMAColloquium #AfricanAmericanHealth #HealthEquity #PhysiciansForJustice #PublicHealth #PolicyAndPractice #NMALeadership
📢 Upcoming Chair Chat Premiere - Don’t Miss This Critical Conversation
The National Medical Association is proud to share that NMA 126th President, Roger A. Mitchell, Jr., MD, and Dr. Cynthia Swann, Vice Chair, Civil Rights Law Section will be speaking in an important Chair Chat titled: Deaths in Custody: Civil Rights, Accountability, and Oversight
🗓 Premieres: Thursday, December 18, 2025
⏰ Time: 2:00 p.m. ET
📺 Watch Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RucCfXYgys
Deaths in custody raise urgent and complex questions about civil rights, transparency, and accountability. In this powerful discussion, Dr. Roger Mitchell, Jr. joins Dr. Cynthia Swann to examine how deaths in custodial settings are investigated and how those investigations impact legal outcomes, systems of oversight, and public trust.
Don't miss this event!
#NMA #NMALeadership #RogerMitchellMD #CivilRights #DeathsInCustody #HealthEquity #ForensicPathology #JusticeInHealthcare #PhysiciansForJustice
Join a community of over 50,000 dedicated African American physicians and professionals committed to making a positive impact on healthcare. Discover the benefits of NMA membership, access professional development opportunities, and become a part of a network dedicated to advancing health equity.
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