North Carolina Medical Society
Serving Healthcare Teams and Patients Who Rely on Them
Long before North Carolina’s healthcare system became what it is today, a small group of physicians united for a shared purpose: to support the medical profession and improve care for the people of their state.
That led to the founding of the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS) in 1849. More than 175 years later, the organization continues to carry that mission forward by serving physicians, physician assistants, residents, medical students, and the patients who rely on them.
What started as an effort to advance medical science and raise professional standards has grown into a statewide organization focused on advocacy, leadership, access to care, clinician wellbeing, and the future of the healthcare workforce. Yet the foundation remains unchanged. When physicians and physician assistants are supported, patients benefit.
Today, NCMS represents a community of medical professionals who care for North Carolinians in every setting, from large health systems and academic medical centers to small independent practices, rural clinics, and community-based care. Its members see firsthand the obstacles to care, what patients need, and how policies can best support the work.
NCMS advocacy is grounded in the belief that people delivering care should have a strong voice in decisions that shape healthcare. The organization works with multiple groups, including lawmakers and community partners, to improve policies that affect medical professionals and patients.
Members of the NC Medical society journeyed to Raleigh for White Coat Day where they met with legislators at the state capitol.
For many North Carolinians, the advocacy work happens quietly in the background. But the effects are felt when a medication is approved quickly, a community gains additional access to clinicians, and providers can spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients.
Toni Hill, NCMS director of marketing and communications, says the connection between policy and patient care is significant.
“The work we do at NCMS becomes especially meaningful when I experience healthcare as a patient myself,” Toni says. “While our board of directors is made up of physicians who bring direct clinical expertise, NCMS staff support the work from outside the exam room. It's powerful to see how our advocacy and policy work can show up in real life. Every barrier we help remove gives clinicians more time to focus on patients, and that ultimately helps patients receive the care they need.”
Medical students are ready to take the next step in their journey as they match with residency programs across the country.
Like many states, North Carolina faces shortages in its healthcare workforce, particularly in rural and underserved areas. To help increase the number of trained professionals practicing statewide, NCMS advocates for solutions such as interstate licensure pathways and opportunities for internationally trained physicians.
The organization’s advocacy work also extends to maternal health, behavioral health, administrative simplification, medical liability, public health, and practice sustainability.
To help healthcare professionals understand public policy and engage directly with decision-makers, NCMS organizes programs such as White Coat Days, the Advocacy Fellowship, and the Advocacy Summit. These initiatives prepare medical professionals to use both their clinical expertise and lived experience with patients and communities to better engage in state policy.
NCMS’s work is strengthened by partnerships with organizations that understand the importance of service, responsiveness, and long-term relationships. Larry Crawford, chief financial officer, describes TowneBank as a partner that understands the organization’s needs.
“TowneBank has been one of the most proactive and responsive banking institutions I have ever worked with,” Larry says. “Our relationship manager, commercial banker Jeff Marshall, reaches out regularly to check on operations and offers ideas that may be relevant to our organization.”
The challenges facing healthcare today differ from those in 1849, but NCMS’s purpose remains rooted in serving the people who provide care, allowing them to focus on what matters most: caring for patients, improving lives, and serving communities across the state.
For more information, visit NCMedSoc.org.