National Medical Association to Host Annual Convention

With a master’s degree in public health from UCLA and a medical degree from Howard University, Dr. Ludlow Creary spent many years as a physician and department chief at the LAC-King/Drew Medical Center in Los Angeles. Dr. Ludlow Creary belongs to many professional organizations, including the National Medical Association (NMA).

Founded in 1896, the NMA is the United States’ oldest and largest medical organization devoted to advancing the medical careers and practices of African American physicians. With more than 50,000 members, the NMA is uniquely positioned to advocate for both African American medical professionals and their patients. 

To better serve its members, the NMA conducts a range of educational, advocacy, and networking initiatives each year. One of the organization's marquee events is the annual NMA Convention. 

The 2018 NMA Convention and Scientific Assembly, which will be the group's 116th, takes place August 11-15 in Orlando, Florida. The conference will feature five days of CME-qualifying seminars and sessions led by some of the top medical researchers and practitioners in the country.

Medical practitioners in the early stages of their career, especially residents, fellows, and postdoctoral researchers, may be eligible for limited travel grants to the convention. For more information, visit convention.nmanet.org.

A Look at the Leading Physicians of the World’s Patient Resources

Dr. Ludlow Creary, an experienced clinician, educator, and researcher, currently serves as medical director of Visiting Angels and executive secretary of the Minority Health Foundation in California. A highly regarded professional, Dr. Ludlow Creary has been named the General Practitioner of the Year by the National Medical Association and has been featured by the Leading Physicians of the World organization.

Headquartered in New York, Leading Physicians of the World engages in the selection and recognition of top doctors in the United States. Each year, the organization releases a publication that recognizes physicians for outstanding research, clinical work, and philanthropic efforts.

In addition to its annual publication, the Leading Physicians of the World offers a number of multimedia platforms which provide resources for the benefit of patients. These include:

- The Waiting Room Magazine - This informational magazine is specially designed for patients in waiting rooms and features health care news, lifestyle advice, and much more.

- Findatopdoc.com - An online resource, Findatopdoc.com helps patients select doctors, schedule appointments, and rate the quality of care received.

- Findatopdoc Radio - This radio show features top doctors who discuss a variety of health care topics, news, and recent medical advances.

CDC Looks At Recent Smoking Trend Data

For almost 20 years, Dr. Ludlow Creary has served as owner and medical director of Visiting Angels of Los Angeles, where he is responsible for overseeing the facility’s home care service operations. He also serves as the executive secretary of the Minority Health Foundation and is a member of the board of directors of the Congress of Racial Equality. As part of his work, Dr. Ludlow Creary keeps up with current health trends in the United States.

According to recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) the number of adults in the country who report they are regular smokers is down by more than 5 percent over the period between 2005 and 2016. That’s the good news. The bad news is that there are still approximately 38 million Americans who say they smoke on a regular basis. 

The CDC Office on Smoking and Health director Corinne Graffunder, Dr.P.H., said that the numbers reflect the overall trend in recent years that shows more people are giving up cigarettes, or never picking them up in the first place, given that the links between the practice and developing diseases like lung cancer have been so thoroughly documented.