The Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) has announced that State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs will be resigning at the end of July 2022.
Dobbs, who has worked relentlessly as Mississippi’s top medical expert throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, has been with MSDH since 2008.
“I feel like the time is right for me to return to the clinical side of medicine, particularly the communicable disease treatment of patients,” Dobbs said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at MSDH, particularly working with this dedicated health staff and advancing the field of health equity in Mississippi.”
On top of returning to the clinical side of medicine, Dobbs plans to step back into academia. He had previously served as a faculty member at the University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Dr. Daniel P. Edney has been named Deputy State Health Officer. A longtime resident of Vicksburg, Edney is the former president of the Mississippi State Medical Association.
The State Board of Health will take up the issue of interim State Health Officer in one of its upcoming meetings.
