Ethelyn J. Williams-Neal, MD

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Get to know Pediatrician Dr. Ethelyn J. Williams-Neal, who serves patients in Memphis, Tennessee.

A seasoned pediatrician, Dr. Williams-Neal is the Co-Founder of Comprehensive Medical Associates in Memphis, Tennessee. She also serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.

A West Tennessee native, she graduated from Manassas High School and Central State College, and earned her medical degree from the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Chicago. She returned to Memphis for her medical internship as the first black intern in the City of Memphis Hospital System. Finally, she completed her residency in pediatrics at the University of Oregon Medical School Hospitals.

After completing her residency, she joined a rural health practice in Mount Bayou, Mississippi and later moved to Marianna, Arkansas to practice. In 1977, she opened a private pediatric practice in Memphis, and later co-founded Comprehensive Medical Associates, a large practice of three black women pediatricians, where Dr. Williams-Neal has treated generations of patients.

As a testament of her continued education, the doctor is board-certified in pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP). The mission of the ABP is to advance child health by certifying pediatricians who meet standards of excellence and are committed to continuous learning and improvement.

Serving on numerous boards and committees, she is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority and the Memphis Links, and sits on the board of directors for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Memphis Outreach, Memphis and Shelby County Hospital Authority Board, and the Girls’ Club, Inc. She has also held numerous roles in the Bluff City Medical Society, including Secretary from 1977 through 1980, and President from 1989 through 1991.

Pediatrics is the branch of medicine that involves the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends individuals be under pediatric care up to the age of 21. Pediatricians provide medical care to people ranging in age from newborns to young adults. They are trained to examine, diagnose, and treat children with a wide variety of injuries and illnesses through all of their developmental stages, as they grow and mature.

On a more personal note, Dr. Williams-Neal enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, and the arts. She is active in her church, community, professional, and social organizations.

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