CHICAGO Jeremy A. Lazarus, MD, a psychiatrist in private practice in Denver, was named president-elect of the American Medical Assoc. (AMA).
Following his year-long term as president-elect, Lazarus will assume the office of AMA president in June, 2012.
It is a deep honor and privilege to be named president-elect of an organization that is committed to helping the medical profession and the patients we serve, said Lazarus.
Challenging times remain for the health care system and as AMA president-elect, I pledge to serve as a strong voice and dedicated advocate for patients and physicians on the pressing health care issues confronting our nation.
First elected to the AMA board of trustees in 2003, Dr. Lazarus served as speaker and vice-speaker of the House of Delegates, the AMAs primary policy-making body. He has chaired several AMA task forces on a wide range of topics, including health system reform.
Lazarus has a distinguished record of service and leadership in organized medicine. He is a former president of the Colorado Medical Society, the Colorado Psychiatric Society and the Arapahoe County Medical Society. He has also previously served as speaker of the American Psychiatric Assoc. (APA) assembly.
Lazarus received the Colorado Psychiatric Society Outstanding Achievement Award in 2008, was awarded a Special Presidential Commendation by the APA in 2003 and received the 2004 APA Assembly Warren Williams Award.
Born in Chicago, Lazarus attended Northwestern University, where he graduated with a bachelors degree in chemistry.
He received a medical degree with honors in psychiatry from the University of Illinois College of Medicine.
A clinical professor of psychiatry at the CU-Denver School of Medicine, he is a voluntary professor of psychiatry at the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.
Lazarus is also an author and lecturer, who released the book, Entering Private Practice: A Handbook for Psychiatrists.
