Johns Hopkins University Professor Honored for Work to Increase Racial Diversity in Medical Education

Myron Weisfeldt, William Osler Professor of Medicine and chair of the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University, received the 2008 Diversity Award from the Association of Professors of Medicine. Dr. Weisfeldt was honored for his efforts to increase racial diversity among faculty, residents, and fellows at Johns Hopkins.

Since Dr. Weisfeldt assumed the chair of the department six years ago, the percentage of all residents and fellows who are members of underrepresented minority groups has increased from 8 percent to 23 percent. During the period, the number of assistant professors from underrepresented minority groups in the department has nearly doubled.

“Our high standards have been and remain very high,” Dr.Weisfeldt said. “Our goal was simply to expand the group of qualified applicants among underrepresented minorities. They are there, and we were determined to find them.”

Copyright © 2008. The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education. All rights reserved.