News

The ACC is proud to announce that Paul L. Douglass, MD, MACC is the winner of the Pamela S. Douglas Distinguished Award for Leadership in Diversity and Inclusion. He will be formally recognized during the annual Convocation ceremony on Monday, March 6 as part of at ACC.23 Together With WCC in New Orleans. Congratulations Dr. Douglass!

Biography

Paul L. Douglass, MD, MACC, FSCAI

Dr. Douglass is a native of Nashville, Tennessee. He joined Metropolitan Atlanta Cardiology Consultants in 1982 and now practices Clinical and Interventional Cardiology with Wellstar Medical Group, Center for Cardiovascular Medicine. Dr. Douglass served as Chief, Division of Cardiology and Director, Cardiovascular Services at the Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center from 2001 until its closure in 2022. He also served as Chairman of the Hospital Board at Atlanta Medical Center, 2006 – 2008. He serves as Clinical Assistant Professor (Cardiology) at Morehouse School of Medicine. He is currently on the Board of Trustees for Wellstar Health System and serves on the Executive Committee. In 2020 and 2021 he was named to the Top Docs list by Georgia Trend Magazine. Also he was named by Atlanta Magazine as a Top Doctor in Cardiovascular Disease in 2022. He received the National Medical Association Region III Award of Excellence in 2019. He is the current Chair of the American College of Cardiology Health Equity Task Force. He serves as a Member of the American Board of Internal Medicine, Cardiovascular Disease Examination Committee. He has been the Chair of the Wellstar Board of Quality and Safety since 2018. He is a member of the American College of Cardiology Industry Advisory Forum. He is a past Chair of the American College of Cardiology Publications and Editorial Coordinating Committee. He served as President, Metro Atlanta American Heart Association from 2014 – 2016. He currently serves on the American Heart Association Heart Failure Systems of Care Advisory Group.

He received his undergraduate degree in biology from Northwestern University. While at Northwestern he was captain and Most Valuable Player of the basketball team in 1972. He also received the Achievement Award as the most outstanding scholar – athlete in 1972.

His M.D. degree was awarded at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee. He was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society in 1976. He also was elected and served as President of the Student Body in 1976.

Dr. Douglass performed his postgraduate training in Internal Medicine and Cardiovascular Diseases at Emory University School of Medicine between 1976 and 1982 in Atlanta, Georgia.

He has been the recipient of numerous professional awards including the Physician of the Year Award and the Nash – Carter Award from the Atlanta Medical Association; the Distinguished Service Medallion from the Georgia State Medical Association; several years of Teaching Excellence Awards from the Department of Internal Medicine at Atlanta Medical Center; and the Hero Award from the Association of Black Cardiologists. Dr. Douglass has worked diligently on behalf of cardiovascular practice serving on the NHLBI Advisory Panel and the Special Emphasis Panel and Disparities Working Group. He has served as president of the Atlanta Medical Association, president of the Georgia State Medical Association, and national president of the Association of Black Cardiologists. He was the Co – Chairman of the Venue and Training Site Sub – Committee for the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. He was instrumental in the planning and establishment of the Georgia chapter of the American College of Cardiology and served as its first Secretary – Treasurer. He also became president and governor of the Georgia chapter of the American College of Cardiology. In 2015 he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Georgia Chapter of the American College of Cardiology for his dedication and service to cardiovascular medicine. Dr. Douglass has participated on numerous committees and task forces for the American College of Cardiology including serving on the Board of Trustees from 2006 – 2011. He was named a Master of the American College of Cardiology in 2016 for his lifelong contributions to cardiology and the American College of Cardiology. Dr. Douglass has published numerous scientific articles and editorials. He has lectured locally, nationally, and internationally on various topics related to cardiovascular diseases with a special interest in cardiovascular diseases in African – Americans and other underrepresented minorities. His hobbies include Jazz, reading, jogging, and tennis. He has three children, Toi (Adoption counselor), Paul III (Operations Analyst for Porche USA), and Travis (Assistant Professor of Medicine-Hospital Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine). Dr. Douglass is married to Sheila A. Robinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., also a cardiologist with Wellstar Medical Group, Center for Cardiovascular Care.

The Georgia Chapter of the American College of Cardiology (GA ACC) is an unwavering supporter of diversity, inclusion and equity for our members, our cardiovascular teams and most notably, our patients. Georgia is the proud home of equal rights founders and leaders such as the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr, Ambassador Andrew Young and US Representative John Lewis. Our state has prevailed over social injustice, achieving progress at times when other locales were unsuccessful in finding solutions for racial and social inequality. History proves that non-violent, peaceful means can and will move us closer to a more open, mutually respectful and equal society. A strong and adamant stand must be taken by those with the duty of leadership to rectify the current conditions for those who are oppressed.

The GA ACC is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion for all our members regardless of skin color, race, ethnicity, gender, education, faith, or sexual preference. We provide the best care for our community of diverse patients when we achieve diversity among our teams, members and leaders. We will not tolerate any injustice, hate, violence or disregard for the rights of the patients and communities we serve. We acknowledge that our Black community has suffered in society and has been disproportionately affected by the health inequities of cardiovascular disease and more recently, COVID-19. Additionally, our Black patients have suffered violent and unconscionable treatment at the hands of some law enforcement officers, and others, evident by the most recent and heinous homicides of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. We lament all other victims who have gone unreported, unpublicized, or undiscovered. We are dedicated to fighting injustices that effect any of our patients! We empathize and are deeply saddened by these recent, senseless and heartbreaking deaths. As physicians, and other healthcare team members of the GA ACC, we have vowed to “Do No Harm” and we will continue to speak up stridently and confidently to protect the victims of racism and inequality so that the next person who utters “I can’t breathe” will be heard and protected.

J. Jeffrey Marshall, MD, FACC
President/Governor

Gina Lundberg, MD, FACC
Chair, Committee of Diversity and Inclusion