Vernon Alvarez Rayford, MD

A native of Holly Springs, Dr. Rayford earned his doctoral degree from the University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy. He received his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville. He completed a combined residency training in internal medicine and pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. He is also board certified in internal medicine, pediatrics and obesity medicine. 

Dr. Rayford joined North Mississippi Health Services in 2013, caring for patients at IMA-Tupelo. He joined the faculty of the Internal Medicine Residency Program in 2022. 

Dr. Rayford is an active community advocate working local groups including Project ELECT, the Northeast Mississippi Coalition Against COVID-19, Vitalant and Phi Beta Sigma fraternity. He lives in Tupelo with his wife and son. His hobbies include traveling and running, and he has combined the two, completing marathons in Little Rock, Arkansas; Memphis, Tennessee; New York City; Chicago; New Orleans and Berlin.