To advance the art and science of medicine for people of African descent in San Diego County through education, advocacy, and health policy to promote health.

In 1972 the San Diego chapter of the San Diego Society of the National Medical Association (NMA) was chartered and in 1974, incorporated by Drs. Richard O. Butcher, Vell R. Wyatt, Terry O. Warren, and Harold E. Burt. In 1973 the Southeast Medical Center opened at 286 Euclid Avenue as the first medical center in California—and anywhere west of the Mississippi River—to be owned and operated by black doctors.* *Fikes Jr., Robert. “Remarkable Healers on the Pacific Coast: A History of San Diego’s Black Medical Community.” The Journal of San Diego History. Volume 57. No 3. Summer 2011



In the four months since I joined, I have interacted with more Black professionals and learned about more community service events than in my five years in San Diego.

- Dr. Jamal Gwathney