Jerry B. Morris, CNCT, MS, R.NCS.T., Receives 2026 AANEM Outstanding Service Award

For more than four decades, Jerry B. Morris has dedicated his career to advancing EDX medicine through patient care, education, and service to the profession. His journey into NM and EDX medicine was not a straightforward one, but rather a path shaped by resilience, mentorship, and an enduring passion for learning—qualities that ultimately made him a leader and educator within the field.

Morris began his academic career as a pre-med student at Northwestern State University in Louisiana in the early 1970s, majoring in zoology. While he initially planned to attend medical school, he soon realized that path might not work out as expected. "That was a tough moment, because I had to rethink everything," he recalled. Rather than leaving science behind, he pursued a master's degree in zoology and natural sciences, where courses in histology, embryology, and anatomy reignited his interest in healthcare.

His turning point came after moving to Shreveport and interviewing at Louisiana State University (LSU) Medical Center. During his third interview, a Mayo Clinic-trained neurologist offered him an unexpected opportunity. "He told me he didn't want someone with experience. He wanted someone he could train from the ground up," Morris said. "And for whatever reason, he saw something in me." The intensive training that followed introduced Mr. Morris to nerve conduction study and electromyography, and he quickly realized he had found his calling. "I fell in love not just with the science, but with the patients, the problem-solving, and the precision of it all," he said.

Throughout his career, Morris credits mentorship and collaboration as the foundation of his professional growth. "I don't say this lightly—the people I've worked with have truly shaped who I am in this field," he says. Early mentors such as Drs. Jeff Donat and Ju-sung Wu helped deepen his understanding of nerve and muscle histology and biopsy techniques, allowing him to connect EDX findings with the underlying physiology. He later worked alongside numerous physicians and technologists whose influence shaped both his technical expertise and his commitment to education.

In the mid-1990s, Mr. Morris joined Willis Knighton Medical Center in Shreveport and Bossier City, where he spent the next 28 years performing EMG and nerve conduction studies (NCS) across four hospitals within the system. During that time, he worked closely with physicians including Drs. Eric Bicknell, Sanjeevi Tivakaran, Gurleen Sikand, and Ben Nguyen. He also developed lasting relationships with fellow technologists and leaders in the field, many of whom he credits for helping make his career "so special."

Beyond his clinical work, Morris became deeply involved in professional organizations, including AANEM. What began as an opportunity to learn soon evolved into a passion for teaching. "Being able to help someone else understand something that once felt complicated to me is incredibly rewarding," he said. "Teaching became just as important to me as the clinical work."

One accomplishment he remains particularly proud of was earning one of the field's earliest professional technologist credentials. At a time when there were limited educational resources and few formal pathways for training, the achievement represented years of dedication, self-discipline, and mastery of the field. "It wasn't just relief—it was validation," he said. "It meant that I had truly learned the field and could stand on my own in it." For Morris, the accomplishment carried special significance because it directly strengthened the care he was able to provide to patients.

Over the years, Morris has received numerous honors recognizing his contributions, including the ASET Theda Sannit Award and designation as a Fellow of ASET. Yet he views those accolades less as personal achievements and more as reflections of a career spent serving patients, colleagues, and the profession. "Not because of the recognition itself, but because they represent years of doing something I truly care about," he said.

Even after stepping away from clinical practice, Mr. Morris remains actively committed to the future of NM and EDX medicine through teaching and mentorship. "I've always believed that what you pass on matters just as much as what you do," he said. "And as long as I'm able, I want to keep passing it on."

That enduring commitment to education, service, and professional engagement makes Morris a fitting recipient of this year's award. For him, the recognition carries deep meaning because of his longstanding connection to AANEM and the EDX community. "It feels like someone is looking back over your entire career and saying it mattered," Morris said. "And that's a very humbling feeling."

As he reflects on his career, Morris continues to emphasize the values that guided him throughout decades in NM and EDX medicine: a commitment to lifelong learning, dedication to delivering accurate and compassionate patient care, pride in one's work, and a willingness to teach and mentor others. He encourages future generations to never stop learning, to remember the patient behind every study, and to share their knowledge so the field can continue to grow. In the end, his philosophy is both simple and deeply personal: "Do what you love and love what you do!"