ABOUT OCMS

The beginning of the Oakland County Medical Society...

In 1819, the Michigan Territorial Legislative Council passed an act “to incorporate Medical Societies for the purpose of regulating the Practice of Physic and Surgery in the Territory of Michigan.” Under this act, the medical Society of the Territory of Michigan was organized in Detroit in August, 1819. The law provided that licensed physicians in any county, upon application to the Territorial Medical Society, were granted the right to form a county society, which, within the limits of the county, had the same rights as a parent society. On June 12, 1827, a group of physicians were granted permission to form the Washtenaw County Medical Society. And three years later, in June, 1831, physicians William Thompson, David L. Porter, Thaddeus Thompson and Ezra Parke were granted permission to organize a medical society in the county of Oakland, the second county society in the Territory.

Learn More About Our History

OCMS Vision, Mission, Goals & More

Who We Are
The Oakland County Medical Society (OCMS) members include approximately 1,600 practicing and non-practicing physicians of all specialties throughout Oakland County. The Society works in tandem with the Michigan State Medical Society.
Vision
By improving health care delivery and consequent health, we improve the quality of life in Oakland County.
Mission
To grow Oakland County’s community of actively involved physicians served by an organization positively impacting their work environment to improve the practice of medicine.
Bylaws
To view the OCMS Constitution & Bylaws, click here.
Leadership
OCMS is led by the Board of Directors, a knowledgeable team of primary and specialty care physicians who guide the Society.

About Our President - Gary Sarafa, MD

Dr. Sarafa graduated from the University of Michigan earning the degree Doctor of Medicine. He then enrolled in the Family Medicine Residency Program at the renowned Oregon Health Sciences University. While there he provided emergency medical relief under the auspices of the United Nations with Medical Teams International in Skroder, Albania, for the Kosovar Refugees. In 1999 he became a Board-Certified Family Physician and completed his Academic Medicine Fellowship the following year at the University of Michigan, while training residents at Henry Ford Health Systems. Dr. Sarafa has been serving on the Board of Directors at Oakland County Medical Society since 2008. In addition, he is principal of Avalon Physician Services.