Medical Society of Va. elects new president

The Medical Society of Virginia elected Richmond-based Dr. Alice Coombs as its next president at the organization’s annual meeting Oct. 14.

Coombs, a critical care specialist, anesthesiologist and internist, as well as the chair of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine’s anesthesiology department, is the fourth woman and first Black president of MSV, which was founded in 1820 and is headquartered in Richmond. She has more than 35 years of experience in private and academic settings.

Coombs’ agenda as president includes a focus on physicians’ and physicians’ assistants’ mental health and wellness, and developing and supporting new programs for patients and physicians. Her term will last one year.

A USC and UCLA School of Medicine graduate, Coombs completed her medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital in internal medicine and anesthesiology, and she completed a MGH critical care medicine fellowship and a Tufts University cardiothoracic fellowship. Coombs is also a past president of the Massachusetts Medical Society and represents Virginia in the American Medical Association House of Delegates. She’s also on the AMA Council on Medical Service. She served two terms as commissioner on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, which makes recommendations to Congress annually regarding payment for Medicare beneficiaries.

MSV serves more than 30,000 physicians, residents, medical students, PAs and PA students in Virginia.