AAMC Cosponsors Panel on Impact and Importance of HBCU Medical Schools

The AAMC jointly sponsored a Sept. 18 panel alongside the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) entitled “America’s Health, America’s Future: The Vital Role of HBCU Medical Schools,” during the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference.     

The panel emphasized the role that medical schools at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) play in building a more community-centered, equitable health system. Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, AAMC chief public policy officer, joined the panel and highlighted the importance of historically Black medical schools, as well as their unique histories and missions to advance the future of America’s health. Sonja Harris-Haywood, MD, Meharry Medical College School of Medicine dean, also served as a panelist and spoke to the impact of the institution on students and the broader community. The session was moderated by Camille Busette, PhD, RWJF executive vice president of programs. Other panelists included David Wilson, EdD, president of Morgan State University, who highlighted what inspired the institution to establish a new HBCU medical school, and Kailyn Geter, 64th national president of the Student National Medical Association and 4th-year medical student at Howard University College of Medicine. Rep. Kweisi Mfume (D-Md.), who provided brief remarks, also joined the session.