Laura Davisson, MD, MPH, FACP

Professor of Medicine
Director, Medical Weight Management
Obesity Medicine Fellowship Program Director
Associate Program Director Internal Medicine Residency

Organization:

West Virginia University School of Medicine

Department:

Medicine

Classification:

Faculty

• MD, WVU School of Medicine

• Sofka S, Grey C, Lerfald N, Davisson L, Howsare J.  Implementing Universal Well-Being Assessment to Mitigate Barriers to Resident Utilization of Mental Health Resources. Journal of Graduate Medical Education, Feb 2018, 10(1):63-66.

• Davisson, L. USPSTF Breast Cancer Screening Guidelines. Special Article, West Virginia Medical Journal. Nov/Dec 2016, 112:31-33.

• Davisson L, Bakkar M. Cholesterol Treatment Guidelines. MedEdPORTAL Publications; 2015. Available from: https://www.mededportal.org/publication/10066 http://dx.doi.org/10.15766/med_2374-8265.10066

• Davisson L. Rational care or rationing care? Updates and controversies in women’s prevention. Republished with author’s update in special CME issue: The Art, Science, and Ethics of Prevention of West Virginia Medical Journal. May/June 2012, 108(3):70-76. PMID 22792659.

• Davisson L. Rational care or rationing care? Updates and controversies in women’s prevention. West Virginia Medical Journal. Jan/Feb 2011, 107(1):26-32. PMID: 21322470. 

• Davisson L, Nuss M, Cottrell S. Women’s health curriculum for internal medicine residents: Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.  Journal of Graduate Medical Education. September 2010, 2(3):398-403. PMID: 21976089.   

• Davisson L, Warden M, Manivannan S, Kolar MM, Kincaid C, Bashir S, Layne R. Osteoporosis screening: factors associated with bone mineral density testing of older women. Journal of Women’s Health. July 2009, 18(7):989-994. PMID: 20377374.   

• Davisson L, Nuss M, Bruno C, Long M, Warden M, Manivannan S, et al. Women’s health tutorial. MedEdPORTAL; 2009. Available from: http://services.aamc.org/30/mededportal/servlet/s/segment/mededportal/?subid=1060. 

• Davisson L, Clark K, Powers R, Hobbs G.  The rectovaginal examination:  physician attitudes and practice patterns. Southern Medical Journal. 99(3):Mar 2006:212-215. PMID: 16553094.

• Elected, ACP Governor-elect designee, WV Chapter                                                      2017
• WVU Department of Medicine Outstanding Faculty Award                                              2017
• Press Ganey Medical Practice Top Provider (top 3% patient satisfaction)                       2015
• WVU Department of Medicine Best Attending Physician Award                                      2013
• JGME reviews were among top 10% of all reviewers for the year                                   2013
• Press Ganey Medical Practice Top Provider (top 3% patient satisfaction)                      2012
• Election to ACP Fellowship                                                                                              2009
• WVU Department of Medicine Patient Care Quality Award, Pneumonia                         2007
• ACP Medical Jeopardy WVU resident team, state winner, progressed to nationals        2002
• WVU Department of Medicine Best Teaching Intern Award                                             2000

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

• American Board of Obesity Medicine, MOC Committee                   2018-present
• The Obesity Society                                                                             2014-present
• Obesity Medicine Association                                                             2016-present
• Association for Program Directors in Internal Medicine                  2010-present
• American College of Physicians                                                         1999-present

Laura Davisson, MD, MPH, FACP, is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine. She received her undergraduate degree from Northwestern University. She earned her medical degree and MPH from West Virginia University (WVU). Dr. Davisson completed an Internal Medicine residency at WVU and served as Chief Resident. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Obesity Medicine. 

After years of practicing Internal Medicine with an outpatient focus on women’s health and prevention, Dr. Davisson recognized the contribution of obesity to many chronic conditions she treated. This motivated her to get additional training to specialize in obesity treatment. She founded and now directs WVU Medicine’s Medical Weight Management program, which works in collaboration with Bariatric Surgery in the WVU Medicine Medical and Surgical Weight Loss Center.  

Dr. Davisson is active in medical education. As Associate Program Director, she directs internal medicine resident quality improvement activities and the residency research track. She is the WVU School of Medicine Nutrition Curriculum Thread Director. To reach Dr. Davisson’s goal of creating a regional workforce to treat obesity, the Medical Weight Management clinic serves as a training site for students, residents, and fellows. Dr. Davisson is the Founder and Program Director for WVU’s Nutrition and Metabolic Diseases Fellowship which is the first program in WV to train fellows in obesity medicine skills.  

Dr. Davisson has been active in the American College of Physicians (ACP) and was granted ACP fellowship in 2009.  She was elected as ACP’s WV Chapter Governor, serving a four-year term on the ACP Board of Governors until April 2023. Dr. Davisson serves on committees for the Obesity Medicine Association (OMA) and American Board of Obesity Medicine. She has been a contributing author for OMA’s Obesity Algorithm. Dr. Davisson enjoys participating in outreach activities, such as speaking and writing on various health topics and advocating for the prevention and treatment of obesity and related illnesses.   

Site Co-Investigator, WVU, iCompare randomized trial of resident duty-hour regimens, 2015-2016.

Principal Investigator, Health Effects of a Community Organized Dietary Cleanse. IRB approved. Data collection and analysis ongoing. Pre- and post- survey of participants of a dietary cleanse, 2014-present.

Principal Investigator, Use of a rubric to evaluate medical students’ history and physicals in a medicine clerkship. IRB approved. Observational study of education practices compared to historical controls with faculty survey, 2011-2012.

Site Co-Investigator, Effect of feedback in virtual patient cases on student cognitive engagement. IRB approved. Multi-site randomized controlled trial of feedback used in medicine clerkship online case studies, 2010-2011. 

Principal Investigator, Evaluation of compliance with osteoporosis screening guidelines. Retrospective chart review of BMD testing in 4 primary care settings, 2005-2009.  Work published.

Principal Investigator, Evaluation of a women’s health education program for internal medicine residents that utilizes a web-based tutorial. IRB waived. Practicum to meet MPH degree requirements, intramural support of $1680, 2007-2008.

Principal Investigator, The rectovaginal component of the pelvic examination. IRB approved. Retrospective chart review of rectovaginal examination practice patterns in 3 primary care settings and a physician attitude survey, 2001-2003.  Work published.

Grant Assistance, MOMS (Mothers Overweight Management Study). IRB approved.  Randomized controlled trial of obesity prevention intervention in postpartum women, NIH funded, 1999. Role: literature search, background writing for grant application during MSIV research elective. Preceptor: Dr. Debra Krummel, WVU Community Medicine Dept.

Medical Specialties

• Internal Medicine
• Obesity Medicine

Board Certifications

• Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine

Special Training

• Residency, Internal Medicine
  WVU Department of Medicine, 2002