Achord, James L(ee) 1931-

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ACHORD, James L(ee) 1931-

PERSONAL:

Surname is pronounced "A-kord "; born September 24, 1931, in Dayton, OH; son of Lonnie M. (a merchant) and Ethel (a homemaker; maiden name, Collins) Achord; married Pat Moore (a homemaker), December 18, 1954; children: J. Michael, Ann Achord Burns, Andrew P. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Emory University, M.D., 1956. Religion: Methodist.

ADDRESSES:

Home—202 Wexford Ct., Brandon, MS 39047. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Emory University, Atlanta, GA, intern at university hospital, 1956-57, acting chief resident, 1959-60, instructor, 1960-63, associate, 1963-65, assistant professor, 1965-69, associate professor of medicine, 1969-71; Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, associate professor of medicine, 1974-75, assistant clinical dean, 1974-75; East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, professor of medicine and associate dean for clinical affairs, 1975-76; University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, professor of medicine, 1976-99, professor emeritus, 1999—, director of Division of Digestive Diseases, 1976-98. Affiliated with Atlanta Veterans Administration Hospital, Atlanta, 1959-60, and Grady Hospitals, 1960-62; Medical Center of Central Georgia, medical director, director of medical education, and chief of medicine, 1971-75; University Clinical Associates, member, 1976—, president, 1978-79. Mercer University, coordinator of clinical affairs for School of Medicine, 1973-75; American College of Gastroenterology, Henry Baker Memorial Lecturer, 1987, Jerome Levy Memorial Lecturer, 1988; Medical College of Georgia, Zack Kilpatrick Memorial Lecturer, 1991. Georgia Council for Family Practice and Education, charter member, 1973-75; Appalachian Regional Center for Healing arts, member of board of directors, 1975; American Liver Foundation, Mississippi agent, 1982—; consultant to Wyeth-Ayerst. Military service: U.S. Army, Medical Corps, 1957-59; became captain. U.S. Army Reserve, 1959-64.

MEMBER:

International Platform Association, American College of Physicians (fellow; chair of Council of Subspecialty Societies, 1992-94; governor of Mississippi chapter, 1994-97), American College of Gastroenterology (fellow; member of board of governors, 1974-77; member of board of trustees, 1978-85; president, 1983-84; chair of industry relations committee, 1985-88; founding chair of practice parameters committee, 1990-93; governor of Mississippi chapter, 1999-2001), American Gastroenterology Association (senior member), American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (senior member), American Federation for Clinical Research, Federated Societies for Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Association of Subspecialty Professors (member of council, 1997-99), Mississippi State Medical Association (member of board of directors and executive committee of Mississippi Physicians Care Network, 1993-98; member of board of directors of Mississippi Hospital Association/Mississippi State Medical Association Foundation, 1994-97), Mississippi Gastroenterological Society (president, 1983-85, 2004-05), Mississippi Academy of Sciences, Mississippi Society for Biblical Studies (founding president, 1994-96; member of board of directors, 1994-98), Georgia Gastroenterological Society (founding president, 1971-73), New York Academy of Sciences, Central Medical Society, Jackson Academy of Medicine, Sigma Xi (president, 1992-93), International Gastro-Surgical Club.

AWARDS, HONORS:

Samuel Weiss Award, American College of Gastroenterology, 1991; listed among best doctors in America, 1994, 1998, 1999; Laureate Award, Mississippi chapter, American College of Physicians, 1998; Master Award, 2003.

WRITINGS:

Understanding Hepatitis, University Press of Mississippi (Jackson, MS), 2002.

Contributor to medical books. Contributor of more than 100 articles to scientific journals. Book review editor, American Journal of Gastroenterology, 1985-91; book editor, Digestive Diseases and Sciences, 1993-96. Member of editorial board, Current Concepts in Gastroenterology, 1985-90, Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 1998—, and eMedicine, 2000—; editorial consultant, Physician's Information and Education Resource (electronic textbook of American College of Physicians).

SIDELIGHTS:

James L. Achord told CA: "Before retirement, I was a medical school faculty member for my entire professional career. I teach; therefore, I write. However, the great bulk has been scientific articles, several book chapters in medical texts, one edited medical book, one medical book as sole author, and a few editorial contributions. Although some might differ, I have written no fiction.

"For the author, writing scientific articles hopefully contributes to knowledge that in some small way leads to future understanding. Writing for publication is a teaching and learning process for the author in the same way that the person who presents a lecture learns more about the subject during preparation than anyone in the audience. As to the process of writing, I am fond of saying that I don't just write, I 'give birth.' When writing editorials or for the lay public, I first construct an outline and then 'free associate' my thoughts. This is followed by critical editing to eliminate the inevitable redundancies. Writing is a fulfilling intellectual growth experience."