The Tennessee Medical Association has named M. Kevin Smith, MD, PhD, MMHC of Nashville as 2020-2021 President of the member-based nonprofit advocacy organization that represents 9,500 physicians statewide. He is the 166th physician elected to TMA's highest office since its founding in 1830.
In his role, Dr. Smith will serve as the organization's public representative and help guide its work in collaborating with fellow physicians, legislators, patients, and nearly 50 component medical societies across the state of Tennessee. He will also hold a seat on the TMA Board of Trustees.
"I am honored and humbled to represent the physicians of Tennessee as we work together as a profession to improve our ability to provide the most efficient and advanced care for our patients," Dr. Smith said.
Dr. Smith is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine and works as a general internal medicine specialist and primary care physician at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. He is a graduate of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at Vanderbilt as well. He also has earned Doctor of Philosophy and Master of Management in Health Care degrees from Vanderbilt. He is a prior President of the Nashville Academy of Medicine and a Fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Dr. Smith said his major goal as TMA President will be to continue to make the TMA the voice of all physicians in Tennessee working together to provide the best in medical practice and patient care for all Tennesseans.
"As we have learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, physician-led patient care is vital to making sure that all Tennesseans have access to the safest and most effective medical care," Dr. Smith said. "We continue to advocate for increased physician training and recruitment in Tennessee through expanded funding for residency programs and incentives for practice in underserved areas.
"As we guide significant changes in the way care is delivered through telemedicine and teams including nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and therapists, we will continue our efforts to ensure that all patients still have access to physicians as the most educated and most experienced members of the health care team," Smith said.