President's Corner

Gregory Harris, DO, FACOI,
GOMA 2024-2025 President

Gregory Harris, DO, FACOI is the new President of Georgia Osteopathic Medical Association Gregory Harris, DO has used his skills at listening to guide him into the Osteopathic profession, to guide him into love and marriage and to guide him in the care of his patients with cancer.

Dr. Harris was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and raised in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the son of a teacher mother and a zoo keeper father.  He did his pre-med studies at Mississippi State University.

He had not contemplated becoming a DO because he had never had any knowledge or exposure to DOs.  It was an advisor at Mississippi State that suggested Osteopathic Medicine to Dr. Harris due to his people skills and how it seemed to mesh with the philosophy of our profession. Mississippi had a mutual agreement with the state of Kentucky to take up to five students to learn Osteopathic medicine each year. So, in 2006 Dr. Harris started his training in Pikeville, Kentucky. He met Sonbol Shahid-Salles his first day of medical school, and after three months they began to date. Looking back on his budding relationship with her and their path through medical school and residency, Dr. Harris summarizes that “we did the whole thing as a couple.”

Gregory and Sonbol married between their second and third year just prior to starting third year rotations. Dr. Harris and Dr. Shahid-Salles did their residencies in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Dr. Harris completed his Internal Medicine residency, and continued on in Grand Blanc for a 3 year fellowship in Hematology/Oncology.

Six years ago, Dr. Harris started a job at the Harbin Clinic in Rome, GA (which has now merged with Atrium Health Floyd). Being in a community based oncology clinic has been very rewarding.   He feels that his Osteopathic training has helped him by working towards “physical wellness.” “I can listen to the patient, and while talking to them, do lymphatic drainage or myofascial release." He has a special interest in Palliative Oncology, CNS tumors, Prostate, and Head and Neck cancer cases.

Dr. Harris enjoys spending time with his 8-year-old son Graham.  He also enjoys golfing, cooking (self-taught), traveling and socializing with friends.

The American Osteopathic Foundation’s (AOF) Board of Directors recognized Gregory Harris, DO as a 2020 AOF State Emerging Leader.  AOF’s State Emerging Leader Award recipients are honored in their first six years of practice within the osteopathic profession. These exceptional individuals provide service to others through osteopathic tenants and principles, advocacy efforts, community service, and philanthropic spirit. 

Dr. Harris has served on multiple task forces for the AOA including having served on the  AOA Board of Trustees, and has served as an advisor for new physicians in practice as well as having served on the Bureau of Emerging Leaders of the AOA.

During the President’s Address to the attendees of the GOMA Annual Meeting, Gregory Harris, DO said: “I think one of the big things I would like to focus on is our events: these in-person events. I think they are meaningful. I think it’s something that we’ve heard for years. I’ve been in the state for about seven years. I have been involved with GOMA since the beginning, and every year in-person events keep coming up. So, I think this is one of the biggest priorities for me is getting our members back together, face-to-face. We can do district events. We should do some sort of state wide event. I think our legislative event is probably the most cohesive one. I will task each district to do at least one in person event each year. Hopefully, many more. If we can get one going, momentum will build and it will get us back together. If you can do an event, you can bring non-members to the event and show them what we can offer and get them to join. That’s going to be a great way to spur membership, but also bring that collegiality back to GOMA.”

Dr. Harris continued: “Advocacy. To me, it is always the low hanging fruit. Everyone agrees that we need to be there – to be at the table. It is a major priority, and it’s something that we are all very passionate about. We can speak eloquently about our priorities. We can make changes in Georgia. We need to be at the table. And so, it is something that we will continue to push. Continue to bring everyone up from students to residents to practicing physicians and into retiring physicians just to know what is happening in the state. It is an important role that GOMA can provide.”

“My favorite part is getting the students involved, and getting the COMs involved. We have finally gotten some momentum with the students, and the students now understand who we are and where we are and what we can do. I think we can leverage this into fostering some great relationships with our students and our student leaders. And bringing us back into their confidence. Bringing us back to face-to-face in the meetings, bringing us back to all the big events– white coat ceremonies and graduations. This is going to be an important priority for us. We will be there as much as we can.”

“Residencies: We will continue to speak with local residency groups in Rome. We already have a presentation that has been vetted; it’s been practiced. It works. It’s pretty effective. That will be a big step to gaining their trust, and to know what our value is to them, and getting them to be lifelong members of GOMA.”

“So, these are all things I am looking forward to this year. Building on the hard work that Dr. Sonbol Shahid-Salles did this past year to make our organization as strong as it can possibly be. We will move forward with the new strategic plan and bylaws that align with the AOA and our strategic plan, and to continue to grow GOMA. Hopefully, I will leave it in a better place for the next year. I’m gratefully looking forward to working with all of you.  We can all give our time and our talents and maybe some of our treasures to some PACs. I think it’s going to be a great year.”