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Contact: Media Relations Officer
AAMC Press Room
Oct. 28-31, 2000, Hyatt Regency Chicago
312-565-4270, Skyway 261

Embargoed for Release
7:00 p.m., EST, Oct. 28, 2000

AAMC Names University of Maryland Dean First Recipient of Nickens Award for Diversity

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Washington, D.C., October 28, 2000 -- Donald Wilson, M.D., dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, is the first recipient of the Herbert W. Nickens award honoring the tireless work of AAMC's Herbert Nickens, M.D., in addressing the educational, societal, and health care needs of minorities. The Herbert W. Nickens award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to promoting justice in medical education and health care. Dr. Nickens served as vice president of the AAMC's Division of Community and Minority Programs from 1988 until March 1999.

Dr. Wilson is the nation's first African-American dean of a predominantly non-minority accredited medical school in the United States, and the first African-American dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

"Dean Wilson has consistently demonstrated a dedication to the principles of diversity and equity in health care," said AAMC President Jordan J. Cohen, M.D. "During each year of his tenure with the medical school, the number of underrepresented minority students in the first-year entering classes has averaged almost 15 percent."

Dr. Wilson's commitment to stimulating the medical educational "pipeline" for minority students led him to become a founding member of the Association of Academic Minority Physicians (AAMP), a professional organization for minority physicians and scientists. The AAMP, with the support of the Merck Company Foundation, offers Minority Summer Research Fellowships to motivate interest in research and academic careers among minority youth.

In addition to his support of future and current minority medical students, Dr. Wilson continues to foster the development of minority medical school faculty through his unique and successful mentoring style. He is locally and nationally recognized as a champion for increasing the number of underrepresented minorities on Maryland's faculty, and creating an atmosphere that respects and celebrates cultural and gender diversity.

Dr. Wilson received his M.D. degree at Tufts University School of Medicine. After completing his residency with the VA Hospital in Boston, he joined the University Hospital, SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn. After appointments in Chicago and London, he returned to University Hospital of Brooklyn in 1980. In 1991, he accepted the position of dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

Read the text of his speech.

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The Association of American Medical Colleges represents the 125 accredited U.S. medical schools; the 16 accredited Canadian medical schools; some 400 major teaching hospitals, including 74 Veterans Administration medical centers; 91 academic and professional societies representing nearly 88,000 faculty members; and the nation's 67,000 medical students and 102,000 residents.

Additional information about the AAMC and U.S. medical schools and teaching hospitals available at www.aamc.org/newsroom