Patrice Harris

Patrice Harris is an American psychiatrist and the first African-American woman to be elected president of the American Medical Association. Born in Bluefield, West Virginia, Harris received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from West Virginia University in 1982. She then pursued her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology and her medical degree from the same university, completing her studies between 1982 and 1992. Harris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she began her residency in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry at Emory University Hospital. After her fellowship, she established her private practice specializing in Adult, Child, Adolescent, and Forensic Psychiatry. In June 2019, she was elected the 174th president of the American Medical Association.