Vernon H. Ross, M.D., Chair
Anesthesiology Section of the NMA

History of the National Medical Association
ounded by a group of seven visionary African-American physicians in 1895, the National Medical Association (NMA) has been in existence for more than 100 years. Under the backdrop of racial segregation at that time, membership in the American Medical Association (AMA) was restricted to whites. AMA was influential in determining national medical policy, and when black doctors sought membership in AMA, they were repeatedly denied admission. The initial aim of NMA was to give a voice to many disenfranchised physicians of African descent who were excluded from joining local medical societies of AMA.

Health disparities in medicine perpetuated poor health outcomes for blacks and other minorities, and many continue to this day. Blacks were frequently excluded from many hospitals, and if admitted, their care and the ward conditions were substandard. In many cases, white nurses were prohibited from caring for black patients. Reportedly, by 1912, only 19 of New York City’s 29 hospitals admitted black patients, and only three gave black physicians patient hospital privileges or the right to perform surgery. The first NMA meeting agenda priorities were to eliminate health disparities, gain professional acceptance and to improve medical care for all people.

NMA has grown tremendously in the past century with nearly 100 affiliate societies throughout the country and more than 35,000 members. NMA serves as a collective voice for physicians and patients of African descent in promoting optimal health. NMA seeks to 1) prevent disease, disability and adverse conditions that disproportionately impact persons of African descent and underserved populations; 2) support efforts that improve the quality and availability of health care to underserved populations; and 3) increase the representation, preservation and contributions of persons of African descent in medicine. NMA has been an influential voice for national health care policy change (i.e., Medicare and Medicaid) and has introduced a number of innovative health care initiatives over the years.

NMA is in the forefront of evolving issues that affect medicine, including burgeoning health care costs, eroding physician autonomy and the dilemma of treating uninsured patients in need of immediate health care. In the 21st century, the NMA focus is targeting the increasingly diverse communities that require health care services. NMA is reaching out to culturally diverse medical organizations to develop a health care agenda that will meet the medical needs of a diverse American population.

Prominent NMA members include Daniel Hale Williams, M.D., who performed the first open heart surgery; Charles Drew, M.D., who pioneered the techniques of separating blood from plasma and laid the groundwork for modern blood banking; and Benjamin Carson, M.D., who is a prominent neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins University.

Education
Throughout the year, NMA presents continuing medical education (CME) programs in six regions of the country. NMA’s Annual National Convention and Scientific Assembly, drawing physicians from around the world, highlights important scientific and medical advances for 25 subspecialty sections, including aerospace and military medicine, allergy immunology and asthma, anesthesiology, basic science, community medicine and public health, dermatology, emergency medicine, family medicine, internal medicine, medical administration, neurology-neurosurgery, obstetrics and gynecology, ophthalmology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pathology, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation, plastic and reconstructive surgery, postgraduate physicians, psychiatry and behavioral sciences, radiology, surgery, urology and women’s health.

The national Scientific Assembly is recognized as a leading forum on African-American health issues. The organization publishes a monthly peer-reviewed medical journal established in 1909, the Journal of the National Medical Association.

Anesthesiology Section of NMA
The mission of the NMA anesthesiology section is to mentor and recruit postgraduate students into the specialty of anesthesiology and to support the development of minority anesthesiologists in both academic and private practice. The section also presents an outstanding continuing medical education (CME) program relevant to the advances in our specialty and other specialties within NMA. The anesthesiology CME meeting is one where anesthesiologists (both private practice and academic) can interact formally with other subspecialty members (e.g., emergency medicine and otolaryngology on airway management or neurology-neurosurgery on back pain management) to discuss multidisciplinary issues.

NMA anesthesiology section members also are contributing members of ASA and continue to speak with a strong voice to our specialty. Members of the NMA anesthesiology section have served on the ASA House of Delegates, held prominent positions in ASA state societies, ASA committees, in anesthesiology subspecialty organizations and as examiners to the American Board of Anesthesiology. Members also fulfill prominent roles within NMA, are liaisons to the Student National Medical Association (SNMA) and are distinguished faculty in academic departments and leaders in private practice groups. The anesthesiology section remains focused on political issues that affect our specialty. To this end, for the last five years, we have had the ASA President-Elect address the section at our annual convention on current national policies related to the anesthesiologist.

2006 Annual Convention
The next NMA Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly will be held August 5-10, 2006, in Dallas, Texas. Highlight topics of the anesthesiology section will include transesophageal echocardiography, disaster management, a pain symposium (combined session with neurology-neurosurgery), an airway workshop (combined session with ear, nose and throat and emergency medicine), intraoperative awareness (combined session with psychiatry), off-site anesthesia-related problems and a session on increasing practice efficiency.

Although NMA (and the anesthesiology section) focuses on the needs of physicians of African descent and underserved populations, membership in the organization is open to all physicians regardless of race. For further information on NMA and the Annual Scientific Session, please visit the NMA Web site at <www.NMAnet.org>.

Vernon H. Ross, M.D., is Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.