Dr. Patrice Harris is Everyday Health's chief health and medical editor and a board-certified psychiatrist in Atlanta with diverse experience as a private practicing physician, a county public health officer, and a patient advocate with experience in policy, legislative, and government affairs. She was the 174th president of the American Medical Association (AMA) and the first African American woman elected to the position. She cofounded eMed, a digital health company, and served as its founding chief executive officer.

Dr. Harris served on the AMA Board of Trustees from 2011 through June 2021 and as chair of the board from 2016 to 2017. Prior to serving on the board, she honed her broad knowledge and deep understanding of healthcare issues through various leadership roles within the AMA, including many years on the AMA Council on Legislation — and one term as chair — and on multiple AMA task forces on topics such as health information technology, payment and delivery reform, and private contracting.

Dr. Harris also led the AMA’s efforts to end the opioid epidemic, serving as chair of the AMA Opioid Task Force from its inception in 2014 until June 2021, during which time the task force worked across every state to eliminate barriers to treatment; provide patients with access to affordable, non-opioid pain care; and fight the stigma faced by those with substance use disorders.

Outside of the AMA, Dr. Harris has held leadership positions with the American Psychiatric Association, the Georgia Psychiatric Physicians Association, the Medical Association of Georgia, and as chair of the Big Cities Health Coalition, a forum composed of leaders from America's largest metropolitan health departments. She is a member of the steering committee of the Atlanta Regional Collaborative for Health Improvement (ARCHI) and is on the board of the Georgia AIDS Coalition. She has also served on the boards of the Georgia National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and the Mental Health Association of Georgia.

Growing up in Bluefield, West Virginia, Dr. Harris dreamt of entering medicine at a time when few women of color were encouraged to become physicians. She spent her formative years at West Virginia University in Morgantown, earning a bachelor of arts in psychology, a master of arts in counseling psychology, and ultimately her doctor of medicine degree in 1992. It was during this time that her passion for helping children emerged.

After receiving her MD, Dr. Harris completed her psychiatry residency and fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. She also served as the senior policy fellow at the Barton Child Law and Policy Center at the Emory University School of Law.

Two themes that govern Dr. Harris’s professional life are a passion to improve the lives of children, and service to others. A recognized expert in children’s mental health and childhood trauma, she has led efforts at both local and national levels to integrate public and behavioral health into overall healthcare and to provide support for employment, housing, and education to address the social determinants of health. She has long been a mentor and role model to others, as well as an advocate.

Dr. Harris is a highly sought after speaker at national and international conferences and has given invited lectures and presentations on children’s mental health, childhood trauma, the integration of mental health into overall health services, health equity, health policy, the intersection of athletics and health, and COVID-19. She has been a guest expert on multiple national radio and television networks, including CNN, MSNBC, Fox, and NPR. She has also received numerous awards in recognition of her service and leadership.

Dr. Harris is a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, an adjunct assistant professor in the Emory Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, and an adjunct clinical assistant professor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences at the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

In her spare time, Dr. Harris loves to travel, especially if a beach destination is involved. She is both a self-described foodie and shoe fanatic who is devoted to her adopted hometown's sports teams: the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, Hawks, and Atlanta United. The WVU Mountaineers of her beloved alma mater are also always close to her heart.

Resources

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