For Release: Monday, October 12, 2009, 12:01 am (ET)

O. Marion Burton, MD, FAAP, was elected the next President-Elect of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois. The AAP is the nation’s largest pediatric organization, with a membership of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists.

Dr. Burton will become President-Elect at the October 2009 National Conference and Exhibition (NCE) in Washington, DC, and will serve as the 2010-2011 AAP President.

Dr. Burton, a community pediatrician, is Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs and Director of Community Pediatrics at University of South Carolina (USC) School of Medicine.

A graduate of Clemson University and Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), he trained at MUSC and Medical College of Georgia. For two decades he practiced pediatrics in Anderson, South Carolina, and taught in a local primary care residency program. In 1991 he joined USC School of Medicine to establish a Division of Community Pediatrics. He oversees the 210 physician multi-specialty group, conducts faculty locum tenens programs for rural pediatricians, and is senior medical consultant to the state’s public health and Medicaid agencies. He helped establish 75 partnerships placing public health professionals with practicing physicians to create medical homes for children.

His group cares for children in University Primary Care offices, the South Carolina Juvenile Justice System and special health care needs clinics.

Past President of the South Carolina Medical Association and South Carolina Pediatric Society, he chairs the AAP AMA Delegation. His AAP service includes Chapter and District CATCH Facilitator, national DCF chairperson, and the Task Force on Committees and Sections. He also chaired the Council on Committees, attending AAP Board of Directors and Advisory Committee to the Board on Committees and Sections meetings.

Recognitions for Dr. Burton include the Abraham Jacobi Award for long-term national contributions to pediatrics and National Army Guard Flight Surgeon of the Year for excellence in care for military flight crews.

Dr. Burton and his wife, Debbie, live in Columbia, South Carolina, and have six children and seven grandchildren.

###

The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 60,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists dedicated to the health, safety and well being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults.