More than 250 guests honored Edith Irby Jones, M.D., the National Medical Association’s (NMA) first female president, in august, at the Association of Black Cardiologists’ Third Annual Testimonial Banquet, held at the royal Hawaiian Hotel’s Monarch Ballroom, in Honolulu, Hawaii.
The event included speeches from several dignitaries, presentations from Dr. Jones’ Delta Sigma Theta sorority and a biographical video clip.

References were made to Dr. Jones’ accomplishments over the years especially achievements in her medical practice, which officially has spanned a half-century.  The third of four children, Dr. Jones was born in Conway, Arkansas. Her desire to study medicine was inspired by the loss of her sister to typhoid fever at a young age. An outstanding student, she entered Knoxville College at age 16 and earned a bachelor’s degree with a triple major in biology, chemistry and physics.
She graduated from medical school in 1952 and her excellence in medicine and political activism has continued since then. In 1985, she was elected the first female president of the NMA by a landslide vote.

Dr. Jones says she is proud of her involvement with health care and human rights issues around the world.  She is currently involved with the Dr. Edith Irby Jones Clinic in Vaudreuil, Haiti, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary this summer. Her long and illustrious career has taken her to Russia, China, Cuba, Mexico and Africa, where she has provided medical and political advice to world leaders. She resides in Houston, where, at age 74, she sees patients at several hospitals including Riverside General Hospital where she is chief of the medical staff. She insists she will not retire before she turns 100 and will keep looking for new goals to accomplish.