On the Road with ROAR

Breiel Duncan, daughter of Wes and Sara Duncan, both ’99 grads, took ROAR with her to Hawaii this summer.

Lynnis Hill and ROAR roughed it together during a recent camping trip at Camp Creek State Park.

Lisa Jones, Janet Conroy, Jimmy Jones took ROAR with them to Fenway Park in Boston Massachusetts July 2019.

ROAR accompanied the Volleyball team on their trip to Anchorage, Alaska to compete in the UAA Invitational.

Janet Conroy also ventured to São Paulo, Brazil with ROAR and enjoyed the national drink caipirinha. Bob & Eva Gallione '68 celebrated their 52nd Anniversary with ROAR at Stonehenge in Wiltshire, England.

TAKE ROAR WITH YOU!

Show us where you’ve taken Roar! Find your cut out of Roar on page 79 of this magazine.

AMA President Patrice Harris Inspires Students during Campus Visit

American Medical Association President and Bluefield, WV native Dr. Patrice Harris giving a presentation.

Concord University was honored to welcome Dr. PatriceHarris,presidentoftheAmericanMedical Association(AMA),tocampusonThursday,Oct.10, 2019 for an afternoon of presentations. She met with students,participatedinaQ&Asessionwiththe media and addressed a near-capacity audience in the mainauditoriumoftheFineArtsCenterduringatalk entitled“LeadingwithAuthenticity”. Dr.Harrisbecamethe174thpresidentoftheAMA inJune2019,andtheorganization’sfirstAfricanAmericanwomantoholdthisposition.Shegrew upinBluefield,W.Va.andattendedWestVirginia UniversitywheresheearnedaBAinpsychology,an MAincounselingpsychologyandultimately,amedical degree in 1992.

“I’m so honored to be back in my hometown ofBluefieldandMercerCountyandConcord,”she said in her afternoon lecture. “Our area in southern West Virginia is very special to me, always has been, and it always gives me great pleasure to come back, particularly during this time of the year. It’s such a beautiful place.”

Dr. Harris completed her psychiatry residency and fellowships in child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry at the Emory University School ofMedicine.Shehasdiverseexperienceasaprivate practicing physician, public health administrator, patient advocate and medical society lobbyist. Noting that she has had “a variety of career experiences,” Dr. Harris encouraged the students in the audience to “do different things.” “Attheendoftheday,nomatterwhatcareerpath you pursue, it is important to lead with authenticity,” she said. “I have had the wonderful opportunity throughout my career in medicine and throughout my career in organized medicine to lead from my sense of purpose regarding efforts and interests that were very important to me, efforts and interests that I thought

are very important as we advance health care across this country.”

She explained that a popular physician of televisionfameinfluencedherdecisiontopursue acareerinmedicine.“Myinspirationforgoingto medicalschoolwasMarcusWelby,”shesaid. “Dr. Welby not only cared about his patients inside the exam room, he cared about his patients outside theexamroom,”shesaid.“And,Isawthatphysicians were well respected in the community and they had a platform.”

“Never did I ever dream I would have this platform asPresidentoftheAmericanMedicalAssociation, but certainly, again, another dream that came true, the opportunity to impact the health of everyone in this country, not only on an individual level, but on a community level and across this country,” she said. Her work in battling the opioid epidemic is one majorwayherleadershipisinfluencingthehealthand wellbeing of this country. Currently, she spearheads the AMA’seffortstoendtheopioidepidemicandhasbeen chairoftheAMAOpioidTaskForcesinceitsinception in 2014.

She explained to her Concord audience that she not only has a professional interest in the opioid epidemic, but a personal one as well. “Iwasaware,livinginAtlantasince1992,ofthe impact that this opioid epidemic has had on our wonderful,beautifulstate,”shesaid.“And,soasIled andchairedtheAMA’scollaborativeeffortsonthe opioid epidemic, I always had a keen view and vision of how this was impacting the state of West Virginia.” The vaping epidemic is another issue the country is now battling, she said, along with the need for affordable health care. “OneoftheissuesthattheAMAhasasitscoreis advocating that everyone has access to affordable, meaningful health coverage,” Dr. Harris said.

“There are myriad challenges that we all face as a communityandIwantyoutoknowthattheAMAand the physicians want to be your partner,” she said. “It’s going to take all of us to address some of the many challenges that affect us today.”

She has learned that it is “important for physicians to be involved, to be leaders.” “Absolutelyasphysicians,weneedtotakecare of our patients and be involved in that way, but we also need to lead and lead with authenticity in other venues,” she said.

Earlier in the day, Dr. Harris met with Concord students from various organizations and academic areas.AmongthegroupsrepresentedwereMcNair Scholars,theBlackStudentUnion,womeninSTEM, psychology and athletic training majors and pre-med students.

While outlining her own academic and career paths, she also gave the students worthwhile advice regardingtheirfutures.“Becurious.Askquestions. Knowyourownworthandvalue,”shesaid.“Eachof you is different. Each of you have your own gifts.” “Every one of you in this room is enough,” she emphasized. “Embrace the journey.”

Following her time with students, representatives of regional media outlets had an opportunity to interview Dr. Harris on a variety of topics ranging from academics and good health to rural health care to being an inspiration to young people.

“I never miss an opportunity to get in front of young students,” she said. “It’s about the representation of what’s possible. I want to be a part of closing that Belief Gap.”

Her advice to students, she said, is “dream big, dream beyond what’s just in front of you.” She also encourages them to “work hard, value education.” Anaccoladeforherhardworkanddetermination came just that morning when she was inducted into theBluefieldHighSchoolHallofFame.Dr.Harrisisa member of the BHS Class of 1978.

She said that as she celebrated with former teachers and guidance counselors at the school, it was a “wonderful full circle moment, a very emotional moment” and an honor “to be recognized by your hometown and high school”. “IbeganinBluefield,W.Va.,andIcarryBluefield, W.Va. with me wherever I go,” she said. “I am who I am todaybecauseofBluefield,W.Va.” Dr. Harris’ visit to Concord was hosted by the University’sOfficeofMulticulturalAffairs.Continuing education credits were offered to medical and social work professionals who attended her afternoon lecturebytheCharlestonAreaMedicalCenterHealth Education and Research Institute and the Concord University Social Work Department.