Virginia Beach Medical Society

History of the Virginia Beach Medical Society

In 1914, the Virginia Beach Medical Society had its birth as the Princess Anne Medical Society. Minutes were hand written and meetings were sparsely attended. During the great depression, all record of the Society was lost and did not reappear until shortly after the Second World War in the form of neat, typewritten minutes. The population of Virginia Beach had grown from 12,000 to nearly 50,000.

In the 1950's, records indicated that membership dues were set at $10.00 per year with AMA dues at $25.00 per year. Members were fined $2.00 for being 15 minutes or more late for meetings and $4.00 for missing meetings. No excuses were accepted. Aetna increased premiums for Family Practice physician liability insurance from $67.00 per year to $96.00 per year. Free tonsillectomies were offered to medically indigent children in Princess Anne County and physicians were scheduled to work one day a week at the Health Center for two hours - pay was $5.00 an hour. There were discussions about 1). the 1950 polio outbreak, 2). endorsement of Medicare for Princess Anne County, 3). willingness to sell the Virginia Beach Hospital for conversion to a Community Hospital, and 4). compulsory health insurance and socialized medicine.

In 1963 the City and County merged and the Princess Anne Medical Society changed its name to the Virginia Beach Medical Society. By this time, plans were underway for a new 100 bed community hospital. The city's growth and prospects of a new hospital brought additional physicians to the area. In 1965, the General Hospital of Virginia Beach opened and Society membership rose to sixty-six.

The 1970's were eventful for the Society and its members, on both the professional and public level. VBMS member Clarence A. Holland, MD began his first year on Virginia Beach's City Council in 1970 and became Mayor of the City in 1976. The Virginia Beach Medical Society was officially incorporated on September 14, 1972 and Bayside Hospital opened its doors on January of 1975. The Society gained prominence in the medical community in 1976 through Dr. K. K. Wallace's promotion to Speaker of the House of Delegates in the Medical Society of Virginia.

The 1980's saw Dr. Holland take his seat in the Virginia State Senate. He served in Richmond as a worthy representative for the public and medical community for 12 years - from 1983 to 1995.

In November of 1998, during the Medical Society of Virginia's Annual Meeting, Dr. Randolph Gould who held duel membership in both the Norfolk Academy of Medicine & the Virginia Beach Medical Society, was elected First Vice President of the Medical Society of Virginia. (The following year Dr. Gould became President of the Medical Society of Virginia.)

The new millennium started out with a strong leadership presence in the medical community for the Virginia Beach Medical Society. Virginia Beach family practioner and VBMS member, Dr. Mitchell Miller, was elected to the office of MSV First Vice President during the Medical Society of Virginia's Annual Meeting in November of 2001. Dr. Miller became the first VBMS active member to serve as President of the Medical Society of Virginia in 2003. In 2007, the MSV 2nd district grew to include not only the Virginia Beach Medical Society and the Norfolk Academy of Medicine, but also the Eastern Shore, Portsmouth Academy of Medicine, Chesapeake Medical Society and the TriCounty Medical Society. Dr. Harry Kanter, who was serving as co-director of the 2nd district at that time, organized the Medical Council of the MSV 2nd district (known today as the Medical Leadership Council) to help integrate the individual societies into a viable and strong 2nd district. During the 2009 Medical Society of Virginia’s Annual Meeting, Dr. Cynthia Romero became the President Elect of the Medical Society of Virginia. Dr. Romero held membership in the Virginia Beach Medical Society, the Norfolk Academy of Medicine and the Chesapeake Medical Society thus increasing the connection between the societies on the 2nd district. In October of 2010, during the Medical Society of Virginia’s Annual Meeting, Dr. Romero became the Medical Society of Virginia’s one hundred fifty-eighth (158th) President.

From meager beginnings in 1914 as the Princess Anne Medical Society, the Virginia Beach Medical Society has increased in stature worthy of the largest city in Virginia and the fastest growing city in the United States. The Virginia Beach Medical Society remains vital, growing, and committed to the traditional concepts of dedication and excellence in a hallowed profession.