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Retired USAF General Takes Reins at AMA

Analysis  |  By John Commins  
   June 15, 2021

Harmon replaces outgoing AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, an allergist from Fort Worth.

Gerald E. Harmon, MD, a retired Air Force major general and a family medicine physician from Pawleys Island, S.C., was sworn in Tuesday as the 176th president of the American Medical Association.

The ceremony was remote during the virtual Special Meeting of the AMA House of Delegates, where the ongoing pandemic and its exposure of systemic problems in the healthcare system were the center of attention.

Harmon replaces outgoing AMA President Susan R. Bailey, MD, an allergist from Fort Worth.

During his one-year term, Harmon has pledged to focus on the agenda put forward by the AMA in recent months, including ongoing efforts to promote vaccinations and improve the public health infrastructure, addressing systemic racism as a public health issue, and improving care access and equity, especially in areas such as telehealth, which is often hamstrung in rural and underserved areas by lack of broadband.

"The COVID pandemic has revealed enormous gaps in how we care for people and communities in America, demonstrated in the disproportionate impact of this pandemic on communities of color and in the weaknesses of our under-funded and under-resourced Public Health infrastructure," Harmon said in his inaugural address.

"During such times of struggle and heartbreak, it is important for us to 'remember our why.' Why did we enter medicine? Why do we continue to struggle against overwhelming administrative and regulatory burdens? Why are we risking our health and our families during this global pandemic," Harmon said. "I would submit that the education, the training, the years of experience and sacrifice we have gone through has prepared us for such a time as this."

Harmon served 35 years in the U.S. Air Force, before retiring as a major general. He has been practicing family medicine for more than 30 years, currently in his hometown of Georgetown, S.C. He has been an AMA board member since 2013 and was board chair from 2017 to 2018. He has also served in several leadership roles at the physicians' association, including the AMA Council on Medical Service. He has also served in several leadership roles at the South Carolina Medical Association, including chairman of the board and president.

Harmon is a clinical professor at two South Carolina medical schools, and a member of the clinical faculty for the Tidelands Health MUSC Family Medicine residency program. He is also an adviser to the board of trustees of a community health system and vice president in a multispecialty physician practice. He is also a medical director for several organizations including a non-profit hospice, and volunteers as medical supervisor for his local school district’s 23 schools.

Harmon received his undergraduate degree in physics and mathematics from the University of South Carolina and his medical degree from the Medical University of South Carolina. He completed a residency training program in family medicine with the U.S. Air Force at Eglin AFB, in Florida.   

“I would submit that the education, the training, the years of experience and sacrifice we have gone through has prepared us for such a time as this.”

John Commins is a content specialist and online news editor for HealthLeaders, a Simplify Compliance brand.

Photo credit: LONDON, UK - FEBRUARY 8TH 2018: The homepage of the website for the American Medical Association - the largest association of physicians in the United States, on 8th February 2018. By chrisdorney / Shutterstock


KEY TAKEAWAYS

During his one-year term, Harmon has pledged to focus on the agenda put forward by the AMA in recent months.

That includes ongoing efforts to promote vaccinations and improve the public health infrastructure.

Harmon also wants to address systematic racism as a public health issue and improving care access and equity, especially through telehealth.


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