James King, M.D., Assumes Role of Board Chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians

SAN DIEGO – James King, M.D., FAAFP, a family physician in Selmer, Tenn., assumes the role of Board Chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians today at the AAFP’s annual meeting. He previously served one-year terms as president and president-elect and three years as a member of the AAFP Board of Directors. King was elected to these positions by the Congress of Delegates, the AAFP’s governing body. The AAFP represents more than 93,000 physicians and medical students nationwide.

King is in private practice in the rural community of Selmer and serves as volunteer faculty at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis. He is also on the medical staff of the McNairy Regional Hospital in Selmer and serves as medical director of Chester County Healthcare Services. As AAFP board chair, King will advocate on behalf of family physicians and patients nationwide to inspire positive change in the U.S. health care system with an emphasis on payment reform.

King has been active with the AAFP for many years, advocating for patients outside the exam room through his service on the board of directors and as a liaison to various commissions and committees. He has served the AAFP by participating in its Commission on Quality, Commission on Health of the Public, Commission on Science and Commission on Chapter Affairs. King works to promote the legislative goals of family medicine to members of Congress through his service on the board of directors of FamMedPAC, the AAFP’s political action committee.

Prior to his service with the AAFP, he was an active member of the Tennessee Academy of Family Physicians. King has served on various TAFP committees. He served on the Committee on Public Relations, Committee on Finance, and Committee on Legislation and Governmental Affairs. He also served on the Long-Range Planning Committee, Nominating Committee and Membership Committee. As a member of the TAFP Board of Directors, King served as vice president, president-elect, president and board chair.

King received the Outstanding Model Office Teaching Award from the University of Tennessee Family Medicine Residency, Jackson, in 1990 and the TAFP’s Family Physician of the Year award in 1997.

After receiving his bachelor’s degree from the University of Tennessee, Martin, and doing postgraduate study in science education at Memphis State University, King earned his medical degree at the University of Tennessee Center of Health Sciences, Memphis, in 1982. He completed his residency at the University of Tennessee Family Medicine Residency, Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in 1985. King is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine and has the AAFP Degree of Fellow, an earned degree awarded to family physicians for distinguished service and continuing medical education.

Active in his community, King has presented the AAFP’s Tar Wars tobacco-free education program to area fourth- and fifth-graders on behalf of the TAFP since 2000. He has been appointed to many state and regional roles, including chair of the McNairy County Board of Health, member of the TennCare Steering Committee of the Tennessee Department of Health, and member and then chair of the Primary Health Care Liaison Committee, State of Tennessee.