A New President Takes the ACR Helm: Introducing Douglas White, MD, PhD

In his new role as the 86th president of the ACR, Douglas White, MD, PhD, is excited about the opportunities to serve and energize the organization and its members in the coming year.

About Dr. White

Dr. White

Dr. White received his MD and PhD degrees from the University of Iowa, Iowa City, followed by a residency in internal medicine at Parkland Hospital, UT Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, and a fellowship in rheumatology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, Washington University in St. Louis. His career led him to Gundersen Health System, La Crosse, Wis., where he is now chair of rheumatology and head of the Rheumatology Research Lab.

He has spent more than a decade as an ACR volunteer, serving as a member of the ACR Board of Directors, chair of the Committee on Rheumatologic Care (CORC) and chair of the Finance Committee. He has participated in several additional committees and work groups, tackling ethics and workforce issues, health information technology, strategic planning efforts and more. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Local Lupus Alliance, La Crosse, Wis.

As Dr. White prepared to begin his term as ACR president, he took a few moments to think about the year ahead and his hopes to help build a stronger organization by bringing members an especially dynamic and revitalized annual meeting, making ACR’s wide-ranging resources even more accessible to today’s tap-and-find users and staying true to the College’s vision of being there for members “so you can be there for your patients.”

The President Speaks

The Rheumatologist (TR): You began as an ACR volunteer in 2011 and have continued to serve since. How did you come to volunteer for the College, and why do you remain involved?

Dr. White: I got started at the invitation of a trusted friend and colleague who was serving on one of the committees at the ACR. She called me one day and said, “I’m going to nominate you for CORC. I think you would like it.”

And I did.

Once I became a volunteer, I learned quickly that the ACR does far more than I was aware of. I also found that volunteering provided an opportunity to work with extraordinary people on worthy goals. That’s what has kept my interest.

TR: From your many years volunteering with the ACR, what are some personal highlights?