Janelle A. Rhyne, MD, who served as NC Medical Board president in 2007-2008, is now the senior physician leader in medical regulation. Dr. Rhyne, who lives in Wilmington, was installed as Chair of the national Federation of State Medical Boards in late April during the organization’s 99th annual meeting in Seattle. She will lead the FSMB during 2011-2012.

The FSMB is a national not-for-profit organization comprised of the 70 state medical and osteopathic boards of the United States and its territories. Its mission is to improve the quality, safety and integrity of health care by developing and promoting high standards for physician licensure and practice.

As FSMB Chair, Dr. Rhyne has pledged to help raise the organization’s national profile, especially by establishing a more visible presence in Washington, DC, with leaders involved in medical regulation and health care reform. Health care workforce issues and timely quality of care issues including maintenance of licensure, continued competence and pain control will also be priorities. Finally, Dr. Rhyne hopes to promote the FSMB as a resource with expertise beyond physician licensing and discipline.

Dr. Rhyne got involved in the FSMB in 2005 and she has served on its Finance Committee, Sexual Boundary Workgroup and Emergency Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee. Since winning election to the FSMB’s Board of Directors in 2008, she has co-chaired the Readiness and Response Workgroup and served on the Maintenance of Licensure Advisory Group among other committees.

Dr. Rhyne received her medical degree from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. She did her internship in internal medicine, her residency training and a fellowship in infectious diseases at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center. She was in private practice at Wilmington Health Associates for 18 years before taking a position with the New Hanover County Health Department in 2007. She was appointed to the NCMB in 2003 and completed her service with the Board in October 2009.