Photos: Madame president

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From humble beginnings to president of the Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice turned a passion for medicine into her purpose.

JUNE 30, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice welcomes students into the Morehouse School of Medicine Class of 2018, Monday, June 30, 2014. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

A young Valerie Montgomery Rice, pictured second from right, with her mother, grandmother, and sisters. Dr. Rice, formerly executive vice president and dean, was recently named president of the Morehouse School of Medicine. She succeeds John E. Maupin Jr., who is retiring after a 30-year career in academic medicine, health care administration and public health.

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, 53, pictured here at age 2. The Harvard-educated obstetrician and gynecologist was recently named president of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

March 1, 2014 Atlanta - Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (left), Dean and Executive Vice President of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, works out with around 40 women during the kickoff for her 12 week challenge to lose 15 inches on Saturday, March 1, 2014. According to a recent Nurses’ Health Study, people with large waists may be at higher risk for heart disease and other illnesses. After 16 years, women who reported waist sizes of 35 inches or higher had nearly double the risk of dying from heart disease, compared to women whose waist was less than 28 inches. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (center) talks with family friends Wonya Lucas (standing), Leshelle May (left) and her daughter, Jordan May, during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice takes a Key Lime Pie from the oven during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (right) and family friend Pearl Hollis are shown during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (center) talks with Gary May and Pearl Hollis during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (center) talks with Gary May (left) and Leshelle May during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice gives a hug to departing friend Wonya Lucas during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 5, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice gets a hug from Sylvia Hutchings during a holiday gathering at her home during 4th of July weekend. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice is shown in her office Thursday July 10, 2014. KENT D. JOHNSON / KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

JULY 10, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice is shown in her office Thursday July 10, 2014. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice pictured with her daughter, Jayne Raven, left, husband Melvin Jr., standing, and son Melvin III.

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, pictured in 1979, when she graduated from Southwest High School in Macon. She was recently named president of the Morehouse School of Medicine.

March 1, 2014 Atlanta - Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (left), Dean and Executive Vice President of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, demonstrates how to take measurements on different parts of the body with the help of Andrea Riggs during the kickoff for her 12 week challenge to lose 15 inches on Saturday, March 1, 2014. According to a recent Nurses’ Health Study, people with large waists may be at higher risk for heart disease and other illnesses. After 16 years, women who reported waist sizes of 35 inches or higher had nearly double the risk of dying from heart disease, compared to women whose waist was less than 28 inches. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL

Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice, top center, is captured in a 1978 photo taken during her varsity cheerleading days at Southwest High School in Macon, where she grew up.

March 1, 2014 Atlanta - Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice (right), Dean and Executive Vice President of the Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta, works out with around 40 women during the kickoff for her 12 week challenge to lose 15 inches on Saturday, March 1, 2014. According to a recent Nurses’ Health Study, people with large waists may be at higher risk for heart disease and other illnesses. After 16 years, women who reported waist sizes of 35 inches or higher had nearly double the risk of dying from heart disease, compared to women whose waist was less than 28 inches. JONATHAN PHILLIPS / SPECIAL

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JUNE 30, 2014, ATLANTA Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice welcomes students into the Morehouse School of Medicine Class of 2018, Monday, June 30, 2014. Unlike most physicians who nurture childhood dreams of becoming doctors, Valerie Montgomery Rice wanted to become a chemical engineer. Then one day she looked in the mirror and realized she was "way too cute" to be an engineer. Doctoring was more suited for her out-going personality. That may have been true for a time but as it turns out academics was her true love. In September Rice will officially become the nations' first African-American woman to be named president of an independent medical school and the one of only three women in the country to hold that position. KENT D. JOHNSON/KDJOHNSON@AJC.COM

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