The Pulaski County Medical Society is recognizing Dr. Debra Morrison, Arkansas’s first female gastroenterologist, with the 2025 President’s Award for a Lifetime of Outstanding Contributions to Medicine.
Morrison began her career nearly four decades ago, entering a specialty few women pursued at the time.
“I probably didn’t give as much thought to it,” she said. “I liked the endoscopy part of it, that you could take a scope and look in someone’s body. I didn’t give a lot of thought to being the only woman.”
When she first entered the field, many patients expected male physicians, and referrals were often based on gender assumptions.
“At times it was an uphill battle,” she said. “It took a few years for things to change. Now there’s a big demand for female gastroenterologists.”
Morrison joined Gastro Arkansas in 1987 and has remained with the same medical group throughout her 38-year career.
Over that time, she has performed thousands of colonoscopies, emphasizing the life-saving importance of detecting and removing pre-cancerous colon polyps.
“That’s a big part of what we do,” she said. “It’s really a service to their lives.”
A graduate of Arkansas State University with a degree in zoology, Morrison earned her medical degree from the University of Arkansas College of Medicine in 1981 and completed her residency and fellowship at UAMS. She is board-certified in both gastroenterology and internal medicine and is a member of the American College of Gastroenterology, American Gastroenterological Association, American College of Physicians, and Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society.
Morrison is married and has two daughters—one an attorney and the other a physician—and one grandchild. She encourages young doctors to make time for family and to find a supportive medical group that values collaboration and coverage.
The Medical Society also recognized Darrin A. McFall, a third-year student at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, with the 2025 Outstanding Medical Student Award. Nominated by his peers, McFall was described as a leader and mentor who supports his classmates academically and emotionally.
“My first class of medical school was challenging due to uncertainty,” one student wrote in his nomination. “Darrin taught us strategies and provided both academic and emotional support to the entire class. His selflessness and desire to help others succeed deserve recognition.”
The Pulaski County Medical Society congratulated both Morrison and McFall for their leadership and service to the medical community.
Feature Photo: PCMS President Dr. Ken Singleton presents the 2025 President’s Award for a Lifetime of Outstanding Contributions to Medicine to Dr. Debra Morrison.
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