03/26/2023

Member Q&A with Jay Williamson, MD

OSMA member leaders work tirelessly on behalf of our members to ensure OSMA is meeting the needs of physicians and responding to the ever-changing healthcare landscape.

Jay Williamson, MD

• District 6/Akron area

• 44-year OSMA Member

• Family Medicine retired

• Chair of the Focused Task Force on Accreditation for OSMA

Q: Tell us about your medical career. What is your role and where are you currently practicing? 

A: I stopped seeing patients last month after nearly 50 years of patient care. I am an Ohio State medical school graduate and did my family medicine residency in Akron. I later served as residency director at Summa Health. For 16 years of my career, I was the Associate Dean for Clinical Sciences at NEOUCOM, now NEOMED, in northeastern Ohio. I had the privilege of serving as interim dean of the college of medicine for one year. Later in my career, I was president of Summa Physicians, Inc. in Akron.

Q: How long have you been a member of OSMA? What are the different ways you have been involved in the organization over the years? 

A: I first became a member of OSMA in 1976. Most of my early years were spent being involved in family medicine activities. For the past 25 years I have served as chair of the Focused Task Force on Accreditation. This group grants qualified providers the ability to give CME credit to physicians.

Q: What are you looking forward to in working with the OSMA Accreditation program this coming year?

A: I have been excited about accreditation for many years. In addition to granting the necessary credits for certificates, continuing education can partner with quality initiatives in our hospitals and other accredited partners. This can lead to improved patient care and quality outcomes. Continuing education is the key to keeping our physicians current in the ever-changing field of medicine.

Q: What do you see as some of the biggest issues facing healthcare in the coming year? How can OSMA work to address these issues? 

A: Healthcare has many issues. We need advocacy and ways to continue to enhance and support our colleagues. The Ohio State Medical Association has done a great job with advocacy. We need to continue to reassure the public that we care and can deliver quality, compassionate and affordable health care.

Q: What are some of the ways in which OSMA has supported your professional journey?

A: Because of my interest in continuing education, I am proud that the Ohio State Medical Association has always supported accreditation. In my 30 years on the Focused Task Force, a support person (currently Traci Pate) has always been provided. This individual is a content expert and key in all continuing education efforts. I have also appreciated the advocacy and support in my field of family medicine.

Q: How can Ohio physicians get involved in OSMA and get the most out of their membership? 

A: It is easy to reach out and join the Ohio State Medical Association. I would encourage members to match the passion they have for one of the many initiatives at OSMA. You might want to take a leadership role in something that you deeply care about. For me it was continuing education and there certainly is room for someone with an interest in that area to join us. I would personally love to talk to anyone with an interest in continuing education.

I will end with something I have said to many of the residents I have taught through the years. If I stopped learning at the end of my residency, I would be a horrible physician and poor example for my specialty. Continuing education is the key to quality and outstanding patient care.

If you’d like to get in touch with OSMA leadership or learn more about Council, please email council@osma.org.