SILVER SPRING, MD – The National Medical Association (NMA) hosted its 121st Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly, themed “Accelerating the March Toward Health Equity,” in New Orleans, LA, July 29 – August 2, 2023, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, 601 Loyola Avenue. Each year, thousands of African American physicians, and other health professionals from across the country convene to participate in the scholarly exchange of medical advances and to advance our health policy agenda for the coming years.
New leadership was set in place as Yolanda M. Lawson, M.D., associate attending at Baylor University Medical Center, founder of MadeWell OBGYN in Dallas, Texas was installed as the 124th President of the organization on Tuesday, August 1st. Dr. Lawson succeeds outgoing NMA President, Garfield Clunie, M.D. Dr. Lawson is deeply committed to the issue of health disparities of Black women and common issues faced by Black physicians. In her work with women, she addresses maternal health, cardiovascular issues, and HIV/AIDS.
Also installed, Tuesday, August 1st was President-Elect for 2024-2025, Virginia A. Caine, MD, chair of the NMA Infectious Diseases Section, Co-chair of the NMA HIV/AIDS Section, and member of the NMA COVID-19 Task Force. Dr. Caine is one of the preeminent doctors for infectious diseases in the United States. She is the Director and Chief Medical Officer of the Marion County Public Health Department. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine Infectious Diseases Division. She is an Indiana University Bicentennial professor. She served as the President for American Public Health Association, the nation’s oldest and largest public health organization.
Thursday, August 4, 2023, Maurice G. Sholas, MD, PhD, better known in the greater New Orleans area as Doc Mo Sho was installed as NMA Board Chair. Dr. Sholas is a Harvard-trained pediatric Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) physician and researcher, and a global expert in treating children with disabilities and atypical development. He has given over 80 presentations in 16 states and six countries and has been featured in JAMA Pediatrics and American Healthcare Leader.
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The NMA promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We carry out this mission by serving as the collective voice of physicians of African descent and is a leading voice for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.
Yolanda M. Lawson, MD Contact: Michael Peery
President (312) 217-2260
Joy D. Calloway, MBA, MHSA
Executive Director
