Ronald Davis (doctor)
Encyclopedia
Ronald Mark Davis was an American
physician who specialized in preventive medicine
and was a public health and anti-tobacco advocate. Davis served a one-year term as president of the American Medical Association
from 2006 to June 2007.
Davis was born in Chicago
on June 18, 1956, to George and Alice Komessar Davis. He earned his Bachelor of Science
in zoology
from the University of Michigan
in 1978, received a Master of Arts
in public policy
from the University of Chicago
in 1981 and was awarded an M.D.
from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
in 1983.
He served from 1987 to 1991 as the director of the Center for Disease Control's Office on Smoking and Health and was chief medical officer of the Michigan Department of Public Health
from 1991 to 1995. He later served as the director of health promotion and disease prevention for the Henry Ford Health System
in Detroit.
He became the first resident
ever named to board of the American Medical Association
, serving from 1984 to 1987. He was elected to the AMA's board again in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. He served as AMA's 162nd president from June 2007 to June 2008. He was the first physician specializing in Preventive Medicine to be named President of the AMA.
After being diagnosed with the disease in February 2008, Davis used his role as the AMA's President to encourage doctors to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer, a disease that ultimately killed Davis and which kills 34,000 Americans each year. As President of the AMA, Davis played a major role in the apology issued for the AMA's longstanding policies that effectively excluded African-American physicians from joining the organization. The AMA required doctors to be members of local medical associations, many of which refused to admit black doctors. Davis noted "a feeling of profound regret and embarrassment for what has been uncovered. That is why we are issuing this apology, but also because we believe that by confronting our past we can build a better future." Dr. Davis was a long standing member of the American Association of Public Health Physicians
, which collaborates with the National Medical Association
on historic inequities and health disparities
. Dr. Davis provided memorable keynote addresses, at the 2008 AMA
meeting, and to the AAPHP on June 14, 2008.
Davis died at age 52 on November 6, 2008 in his home near East Lansing, Michigan
. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer
. Davis had married the former Nadine Messina in 1979 and was survived by her and their three sons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician who specialized in preventive medicine
Preventive medicine
Preventive medicine or preventive care refers to measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms...
and was a public health and anti-tobacco advocate. Davis served a one-year term as president of the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
from 2006 to June 2007.
Davis was born in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
on June 18, 1956, to George and Alice Komessar Davis. He earned his Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1978, received a Master of Arts
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in public policy
Public policy
Public policy as government action is generally the principled guide to action taken by the administrative or executive branches of the state with regard to a class of issues in a manner consistent with law and institutional customs. In general, the foundation is the pertinent national and...
from the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
in 1981 and was awarded an M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine
Pritzker School of Medicine
The Pritzker School of Medicine is the M.D. granting unit of the Biological Sciences Division of the University of Chicago. It is located on the University's main campus in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago, and matriculated its first class in 1927...
in 1983.
He served from 1987 to 1991 as the director of the Center for Disease Control's Office on Smoking and Health and was chief medical officer of the Michigan Department of Public Health
Michigan Department of Community Health
-External links:*...
from 1991 to 1995. He later served as the director of health promotion and disease prevention for the Henry Ford Health System
Henry Ford Hospital
Henry Ford Hospital, the flagship facility for , is an 805-bed tertiary care hospital, education and research complex located in Detroit ....
in Detroit.
He became the first resident
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
ever named to board of the American Medical Association
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
, serving from 1984 to 1987. He was elected to the AMA's board again in 2001 and re-elected in 2005. He served as AMA's 162nd president from June 2007 to June 2008. He was the first physician specializing in Preventive Medicine to be named President of the AMA.
After being diagnosed with the disease in February 2008, Davis used his role as the AMA's President to encourage doctors to increase awareness of pancreatic cancer, a disease that ultimately killed Davis and which kills 34,000 Americans each year. As President of the AMA, Davis played a major role in the apology issued for the AMA's longstanding policies that effectively excluded African-American physicians from joining the organization. The AMA required doctors to be members of local medical associations, many of which refused to admit black doctors. Davis noted "a feeling of profound regret and embarrassment for what has been uncovered. That is why we are issuing this apology, but also because we believe that by confronting our past we can build a better future." Dr. Davis was a long standing member of the American Association of Public Health Physicians
American Association of Public Health Physicians
The American Association of Public Health Physicians , is a professional association of public health physicians. Its motto is "the voice of Public Health Physicians / Guardians of the Public's Health".-Brief history:...
, which collaborates with the National Medical Association
National Medical Association
The National Medical Association is the largest and oldest national organization representing African American physicians and their patients in the United States...
on historic inequities and health disparities
Health disparities
Health equity refers to the study of differences in the quality of health and health care across different populations....
. Dr. Davis provided memorable keynote addresses, at the 2008 AMA
Ama
-Ama:Ama may refer to:*Ama , an outrigger used on sailing boats*Ama , traditional Japanese divers*Ama , a product of digestion...
meeting, and to the AAPHP on June 14, 2008.
Davis died at age 52 on November 6, 2008 in his home near East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing, Michigan
East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. The city is located directly east of Lansing, Michigan, the state's capital. Most of the city is within Ingham County, though a small portion lies in Clinton County. The population was 48,579 at the time of the 2010 census, an increase from...
. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer
Pancreatic cancer refers to a malignant neoplasm of the pancreas. The most common type of pancreatic cancer, accounting for 95% of these tumors is adenocarcinoma, which arises within the exocrine component of the pancreas. A minority arises from the islet cells and is classified as a...
. Davis had married the former Nadine Messina in 1979 and was survived by her and their three sons.