Willson tapped to lead medical society

Dr. Charles Willson, right, listens as Dr. Mott Blair makes a point during a recent health care forum in Greenville. Willson, an ECU clinical professor of pediatrics, is the new president of the N.C. Medical Society. Photo by Doug Boyd

Dr. Charles Willson, a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, assumed the presidency of the North Carolina Medical Society at the group’s annual meeting Oct. 13-16 in Greensboro.

Willson had served as president-elect for the previous 12 months.

Reducing medical errors, increasing the level of preventive care, improving the medical liability atmosphere in the state and improving access to medical care are among Willson’s priorities as president.

“My role is to identify the medical issues facing North Carolinians and then bring together groups within our state to solve some of these thorny problems,” Willson said. “Physicians can’t solve them by themselves, but we must be part of the solution.”

A native of New Jersey, Willson has a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and completed medical school at the University of Virginia. At ECU, he also directs the Center for Children with Complex and Chronic Conditions, which assists regional physicians with difficult diagnoses and consults with them on patients. Willson is also director of health promotion and policy development in the ECU Health Sciences Division.

Willson served as secretary-treasurer of the medical society from 1999-2004. After his term as president expires next year, Willson will chair the society’s nominations and leadership committees as past-president.