Thomas E. Dobbs, MD, MPH
Dean
Department:
SPH-Office of Dean
Email:
tdobbs@umc.edu
Work Phone:
(601) 984-5560
Biography
Thomas Dobbs assumed the role of Dean of the John D. Bower School of Population Health on August 1, 2022. In addition to his role as Dean, Dr. Dobbs teaches Epidemiology for the School of Population Health and the School of Health-Related Professions. He has a clinical position within the Division of Infectious Disease, working specifically in the fields of HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections with a focus on the intersection of disease and the social determinants of health.
Dr. Dobbs has a long career working at the crossroads of clinical medicine and public health as a physician, researcher and public health leader. He has held numerous leadership roles within the Mississippi State Department of Health including State Epidemiologist and State Health Officer (a role through which he directed the state's response to the COVID pandemic). In his role as State Health Officer, Dr. Dobbs focused the agency on addressing the numerous health inequities that plague our state. Additionally, he has worked in leadership roles nationally and internationally in the fight against diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis.
Education
| University of Alabama at Birmingham, MD, Infectious Diseases | 2005 |
| University of Alabama Birmingham, MPH, Public Health, Epidemiology | 2000 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham, MD, Internal Medicine | 1999 |
| University of Alabama at Birmingham, MD, Medicine | 1996 |
| Emory University, BS, Applied Physics | 1992 |
Specialty Certification Licensure
| Certification, Infectious Diseases, American Board of Internal Medicine | 08/2005 - 12/2025 |
| Certification, Board Certified, American Board of Internal Medicine | 08/2000 - 12/2031 |
| NPI | |
| Licensure, Medical | 06/2000 - 06/2023 |
| DEA, DEA | 06/2021 - 06/2022 |
Current Positions
| Dean, School of Population Health | 08/2022 - Present |
| Medical Director Crossroads STD Clinic, School of Population Health | 08/2022 - Present |
| Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Infectious Diseases | 08/2022 - Present |
| Clinical Consultant | 11/2010 - Present |
| The University of Mississippi Medical Center Jackson, Mississippi 39216 | |
Academic Appointments or Other Previous Appointments
| State Health Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health | 11/2018 - 07/2022 |
| Associate Professor, UMMC, School of Population Health | 08/2018 - 07/2022 |
| Deputy State Health Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health | 07/2018 - 12/2018 |
| Infectious Diseases, South Central Regional Medical Center | 07/2016 - 07/2018 |
| Vice President for Quality and Chief Medical Officer, South Central Regional Medical Center | 07/2016 - 07/2018 |
| State Epidemiologist, Mississippi State Department of Health | 07/2012 - 07/2016 |
| Regional Health Officer, Mississippi State Department of Health | 07/2008 - 07/2012 |
| Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, South Central Regional Medical Center | 08/2001 - 07/2008 |
Publications
National Academies of Science Report | |
| Committee Member and Contributing Author Review of Federal Policies that Contribute to Racial and Ethnic Health Inequities | 2023 |
Clinical Guidelines | |
| Burgos M, Crane C, et al. Dobbs, T Testing and Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection in the United States: Clinical Recommendations -A GUIDE FOR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAMS National Tuberculosis Control Association | 2021 |
Book Chapter | |
| Dobbs, Thomas Lampton, Lucius Conn's Current Therapy 2023 COVID-19 | 2023 |
| Dobbs TE and Webb R Treatment of Tuberculosis Tuberculosis & Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections, 7th Edition, edited by David Schlossberg | |
| Dobbs TE and Webb R Treatment of Tuberculosis Tuberculosis & Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Infections, 6th Edition, edited by David Schlossberg | |
| Dobbs TE and Kimerling ME Mycobacterium Tuberculosis AIDS Therapy, 3rd edition, edited by Dolin, Masur and Saag | |
Editorial Commentary | |
| Dobbs, TE Getting Government To Work For Public Health Health Affairs | 2023 |
Presentations
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, World AIDS Day Virtual Symposium with SeMRHI and Hattiesburg Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Southeastern MS Rural Health Initiative, Hattiesburg, MS | 12/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, MS Health Ambassador Initiative Virtual Meeting, COVID Update, Partnership for a Health MS, Jackson, MS | 11/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Mississippi and the Covid-19 Pandemic Moving Forward, Mississippi Trial and Appellate Court Judges Fall Conference, Jackson, MS | 10/2021 |
| Invited Symposia, COVID-19 In the Hispanic/Latino Community Town Hall, MSDH, Jackson, MS | 10/2021 |
| Invited Symposia, Epidemiology of COVID-19, Methodist Rehabilitation Medical Center, Jackson, MS | 09/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Role of Media in Shaping Public's Perception of Health Care, Mississippi Healthcare Executives Chapter Virtual F2F Panel, Jackson, MS | 09/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Community Health Heroes and Future of Workforce, CHCAMS 34th Annual Virtual | 08/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, MAHP 2021 Forum/COVID-19 Update, MAHP Medical & Pharmacy Directors Forum | 08/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, COVID-19 and Evidence Based Decision Processes, MS Delta Family Medicine Residency, Greenwood, MS | 08/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Health Equity in MS, MISSISSIPPI HEALTH DISPARITIES CONFERENCE 2021, Biloxi, MS | 08/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, COVID: One Year Later, MS Alliance of Non Profits & Philanthropy, Jaaaaackson, MS | 07/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, COVID Update, Oxford Lafayette NAACP, Oxford, MS | 06/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, Mississippi and COVID-19, Mississippi State Medical Association, Destin, FL | 05/2021 |
| State/Local Invited Seminars/Lectures, COVID Update, MS Association of Personnel Administrators, Jackson, MS | 01/2021 |
| Congressional Testimony, COVID-19 and Pandemic Preparedness, Subcommittee on Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Washington, D.C. | 03/2020 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, eDOT: More than meets the eye. Plenary Session, NTCA, Atlanta, GA | 04/2017 |
| Poster Presentation, Hospitalizations for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome in Mississippi, City MatCH Leadership and MCH Epidemiology Conference, Philadelphia, PA | 09/2016 |
| Poster Presentation, Substance Use Disorders among Pregnancy-Related Hospitalizations in Mississippi, 2010-2012, The City MatCH Leadership and MCH Epidemiology Conference, Philadelphia, PA | 09/2016 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Severe Illness Associated with a Novel Synthetic Cannabinoid – Mississippi, April 2015, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Anchorage, AK | 06/2016 |
| Poster Presentation, Multiply-Exposed Tuberculosis Contacts – Varying Risk of Secondary Infection, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, North American Conference, Denver, CO | 02/2016 |
| Poster Presentation, Opioid-Related Hospitalizations in Mississippi: The Use of Hospital Discharge Data for Understanding the Opioid Epidemic and Building State Surveillance Systems, The National Association of Healthcare Data Organizations, Washington, D.C. | 10/2015 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Severe Illness Associated with Reported Use of Synthetic Cannabinoids – Mississippi, April 2015, North American Congress of Clinical Toxicology, San Francisco, CA | 10/2015 |
| Poster Presentation, Comparative Performance of Quantiferon Gold In-Tube (QFT) Versus Tuberculin Skin Testing in Contact Investigations, Hinds County, MS., National TB Controller Association Meeting, Atlanta, GA | 06/2015 |
| Poster Presentation, Comorbidity in HIV-positive patients: A comparative study of HIV- and non-HIV-related hospitalizations in Mississippi, 2010-2011, American Public Health Association Annual Meeting | 11/2013 |
| Poster Presentation, False Positive QuantiFERON Gold In-Tube Assays In HIV Patients, American Thoracic Society Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA | 05/2013 |
| Poster Presentation, Successful Use of 3HP for Latent TB Infection in a Statewide TB Program, American Thoracic Society Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA | 05/2013 |
| Poster Presentation, Quantiferon Gold-In Tube Assay Results among Patients with Positive Tuberculin Skin Test in Mississippi, Infectious Diseases Week, San Francisco, CA | 10/2012 |
| National and International Invited Seminars/Lectures, Outbreak of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae Bloodstream Infections at an Outpatient Chemotherapy Infusion Center, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists, Omaha, NE | 06/2012 |
| Poster Presentation, Transmission of HIV and non-HIV TB cases in Mississippi: Intensified Efforts are needed among African Americans and HIV-infected sub-populations, IDSA | 10/2011 |
| Poster Presentation, Quantiferon-TB Gold In-Tube Assay Results Among Low Risk TST Positives in Mississippi, National TB Controller Association Meeting, Atlanta, GA | 06/2010 |
| Poster Presentation, Inter-reader Agreement for Chest X-ray Readings in HIV-infected Pulmonary Tuberculosis Suspects, 38th Union World Conference on Lung Health, Cape Town, South Africa | 11/2007 |
| Poster Presentation, Predictors of Culture-confirmed Smear-negative Pulmonary Tuberculosis among HIV-infected Patients, 38th Union World Conference on Lung Health, Cape Town, South Africa | 11/2007 |
| Poster Presentation, Hospital Outbreak of Linezolid Resistant, Vancomycin Resistant Enterococcus faecium, ICAAC, Washington, D.C. | 12/2005 |
| Poster Presentation, DOTS Plus for the Treatment of Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in Tomsk, Siberia, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Vancouver, B.C. | 02/2000 |
Honors, Awards, and Recognition
| UMMC Endowed Chair in Health Disparities, UMMC | 2024 |
| Golden Champion Award, My Brother's Keeper | 2023 |
| Alfio Rausa Public Health Leadership Award, Mississippi Public Health Association | 2022 |
| Mississippi Top 50 Influential Leaders, MSTop50 | 2022 |
| Rural Health Award, Mississippi Rural Health Association | 2021 |
| Mary Ann Sones Distinguished Leadership Award, Mississippi Rural Health Association | 2021 |
| PREPS Partner Award, Program of Research and Evaluation for Public Schools | 2021 |
| Presidential Award, Mississippi Academy of Sciences | 2021 |
| President Circle Award, Mississippi Public Health Association | 2020 |
| Alfio Rausa Medical Section Award, Mississippi Public Health Association | 2020 |
| 2020 Regions TEACH Prize Finalists/Nelson Order Finalist, UMMC | 2020 |
| Aaron Shirley, MD Distinguished Indigent Care Award, Community Health Center Association of Mississippi | 2020 |
Professional Membership and Service
| American Public Health Association, Member | 2022 - Present |
| Association of State and Territorial Health Officials, Infectious Diseases Policy Committee Chair | 2018 - Present |
| National TB Controllers Association | 2008 - Present |
| Mississippi State Medical Association, Officer, Other Officer | 2007 - Present |
| Mississippi Public Health Association | 2005 - Present |
Committee Service
| Center for Immunology and Microbial Research, Member | 2023 - Present |
| MEDICAL CENTER-ETHICS ADVISORY, Member | 2022 - Present |
| National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine - Racial and Ethnic Health Inequities, Member | 2022 - Present |
| School of Nursing Advisory Board, Member | 2021 - Present |
| Infectious Disease Policy Committee - ASTHO, Chair | 2019 - 2022 |
| Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services Board of Directors, Member | 2018 - 2022 |
| Medicaid Medical Advisory Board, Member | 2018 - 2022 |
Community Service
| Kiwanis Pancake Day, Pancake cook | 12/2021 - 12/2021 |
| Boy Scouts, Leader | 08/2015 - 06/2018 |
| AIDS Services Commission, Mississippi, Board of Directors / Volunteer | 2010 - 10/2014 |
| Soccer Coach, Head Coach / Laurel Soccer Association | 08/2006 - 12/2007 |
| Good Samaritan Free Clinic, Physician | 08/2001 - 06/2008 |
Other Service
| Editorial Board - Journal of the Mississippi State Medical Association | 08/2016 - 04/2020 |
| TB Consultant - Southeastern National TB Center - University of Florida, Expert Clinical Consultant | 12/2010 - 11/2018 |
| Gorgas International TB Center - UAB | 09/1999 - 12/2011 |
Teaching Experience
| PHS 703, Population Health, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Fall 2023 - 2023 |
| DHA 770, SHRP, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Spring 2022 - 2022 |
| DHA 770, SHRP, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Spring 2021 - 2021 |
| PHS 703, Population Health, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Fall 2021 - 2021 |
| DHA 770, SHRP, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Spring 2020 - 2020 |
| PHS 703, Population Health, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Fall 2020 - 2020 |
| PHS 703, Population Health, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Summer 2019 - 2019 |
| DHA 770, SHRP, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Spring 2019 - 2019 |
| PHS 714, Population Health, Course, Course Director, Health Policy | Fall 2018 - 2018 |
| DHA 770, SHRP, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Spring 2018 - 2018 |
| DHA 770, SHRP, Course, Course Director, Epidemiology | Spring 2017 - 2017 |
Directed Student Learning
| Dissertation Committee Member, Severe Maternal Morbidity and Mortality in an Academic Medical Center in the Southeast Advised: Samantha Griner | 2021 - Present |
| Dissertation Committee Chair, COVID‑19 Inpatient Mortality Disparities Among American Indian Adults in Mississippi’s Safety Net Hospital Advised: Leslie Musshafen | 2021 - Present |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Stakeholder Perceptions of the Mississippi High School Nurse Mentorship Academy Regarding the Completion of the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program Examination Advised: Shawn Rossi | 2020 - 2021 |
| Dissertation Committee Member, The Perceptions of Stakeholders of the Mississippi High School Nurse Mentorship Academy Regarding the Completion of the NNAAP Examination Advised: Robin Thompson | 2020 - 2021 |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Mandated Reporter Education at an Academic Medical Center Advised: Rebecca Mansell | 2019 - 2020 |
| Dissertation Committee Member, A Mixed Methods Study of Tribal Perspectives on Research in the Tribal Community Advised: Tina Scott | |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Policymaker Information Pipeline and Perceptions Regarding the Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Consensus Model Chair Advised: Adam Boyd | |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Using Identified Barriers to Create a Strategic Mentorship Model at One Academic Medical Center Advised: Vickie Skinner | |
| Dissertation Committee Member, The Association Between Organizational Culture and the Ability to Benefit from “Just Culture” Training Advised: Donald David | |
| Dissertation Committee Member, Building Evidence to Inform Perinatal Health Policy, Programs, and Systems in Mississippi Advised: Will Crump |