CHICAGO -- American Medical Association (AMA) Immediate Past President J. Edward Hill, MD. was elected Chair of the World Medical Association (WMA). Dr. Hill, a family physician from Tupelo, Mississippi, has become chair of the AMA Board of Trustees in 2002 and was elected president in 2005. He completes his AMA Board term in June of 2007.

"During my tenure with the AMA, we've made great strides in the fight against alcohol and tobacco use, encouraging 19 U.S. states to adopt smoke-free legislation and we played a major role in the passage of national Patient Safety legislation," said Dr. Hill. "I look forward to applying the work we've done at home to improve health care on a global level."

Dr. Hill received his medical degree from the University of Mississippi and has been practicing medicine in Mississippi for 43 years. In addition to his family practice, Dr. Hill developed and directed a local maternity health program that resulted in lowering the fetal mortality rate from one of the highest in the United States to below the national average.
Dr. Hill's professional career includes numerous leadership roles. He was chairman and president of the Mississippi State Medical Association, president of the Mississippi Academy of Family Physicians, delegate to the American Academy of Family Physicians, and president of the Southern Medical Association.

Through its membership in the WMA, the AMA was an active participant in a letter-writing campaign that secured the release of several wrongly imprisoned physicians. Additionally, the AMA Delegation to the WMA played a major role in drafting policy on many important health care issues, including: biological weapons, reducing the global impact of alcohol on health, obesity, medical liability reform, avian and pandemic influenza and medical education.

Dr. Hill will take over for Yoram Blachar, MD president of the Israel Medical Association, who has held the position the last four years.

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