The National Medical Association Installs Dr. Lawrence Sanders Jr., as its 115th President

 

Atlanta, Georgia Physician Calls for More Collaboration Within the Medical Profession and Continued Advocacy for Health Equity

 

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Silver Spring, MD (August 13, 2014) — Lawrence Sanders Jr., M.D., a practicing internist and educator in Atlanta, Georgia, was installed as the 115th president of the National Medical Association (NMA) during the organization’s 112th Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly in Honolulu.


The NMA promotes the collective interests of more than 32,000 physicians of African descent and is a leading force for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health.

In remarks at his installation ceremony on August 5, Dr. Sanders said that the United States is in “the second transformation of medicine,” which calls for “delivering the highest value possible to each patient and family” and will require “collaboration and
shared ideas” within the medical profession. Dr. Sanders also said that NMA must continue to advocate for “full implementation of health reform with a focus on Medicaid expansion.”


Dr. Sanders said his priorities for NMA in the coming year include ensuring that NMA remains relevant; building on the NMA’s partnership with the American Medical Association; assuring guidelines account for the disproportionate disease burdens of select populations because of long-standing disparities in health and health care; understanding the potential health consequences of climate change; and strengthening NMA at the state and local level.


In addition to his practice, Dr. Sanders teaches internal medicine, business principles and patient safety/quality improvement to residents and medical students at Morehouse School of Medicine. At Grady Health System, he serves as the physician advisor for clinical documentation improvement, care management and hospital throughput.As an active member of the National Medical Association, Dr. Sanders has served in a number of leadership positions, including speaker of the House of Delegates and chair of the Committee on Administrative and Financial Affairs in the House of Delegates. Dr. Sanders has also served as president of both the Atlanta Medical and the Georgia State Medical Associations, and as a member of the steering committee for the Group on Faculty Practice of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC).Dr. Sanders currently serves as a delegate for the Medical Association of Atlanta to the Medical Association of Georgia House of Delegates.

 

Dr. Sanders earned his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Clemson University.He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University Medical School in Nashville, Tennessee, earned a master of business administration from the Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania, and served in the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the Centers for Disease Control.


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Founded in 1895, the National Medical Association is a national professional and scientific organization committed to improving the quality of health among minorities and disadvantaged people through its membership, professional development, community health education, advocacy, research and partnership with federal and private agencies. The NMA has repeatedly advocated for policies that would assure equitable and quality health care for all people.