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Indian American Dr George Thomas, the erstwhile president of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, has been elected chairman of the Florida Board of Medicine, thus becoming the third Indian American physician to head this influential organisation in the American state.
Over a decade ago, Dr Zach Zachariah, also a cardiologist was the first Indian American to be the chair and a few years later, another cardiologist Dr Raghavendra Vijayanagar like Zachariah and Thomas, served as the head of this board.
Thomas, co-founder of the Bradenton Cardiology Centre, a comprehensive cardiology center with 12 physicians providing cardiology care to patients in the Manatee-Sarasota area, told rediff.com, "I am truly excited to join this team of dedicated individuals to serve the people of Florida and chair this important board."
"It is an honour and privilege for me to have the opportunity to lead and contribute to the board's critical mission of protecting and promoting the public health and safety of all Floridians," he said, adding: "This is an opportunity to serve, make a difference and give back to the people of our Sunshine State."
The Kerala-born and raised Thomas, who hails from Athirampuzha near Kottayam, immigrated to the US in 1973. He received his medical training at the Medical College Kottayam, University of Kerala, and after coming to the US did his medical residency at South Baltimore General Hospital, and cardiology training at the New Jersey College of Medicine.
His professional credentials include certification in the American Board of Internal Medicine, in the subspecialty Board of Cardiovascular Diseases and fellowship in the American College of Cardiology.