PRESIDENT’ S MESSAGE
It is with profound gratitude and renewed purpose that I share this 2024 Annual Report, reflecting another transformative year at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
This year, we celebrated extraordinary milestones, most notably, the historic launch of our independent four-year MD program, a bold step that affirms CDU’ s place at the forefront of equitable medical education. Our inaugural cohort embodies the future of medicine: diverse, determined, and driven by a vision for a more just world.
We continued to forge powerful partnerships to expand our mission. Whether through pipeline programs for South Los Angeles youth, pioneering simulation-based training, or impactful collaborations with international leaders, CDU is building a future where health equity is more than a goal, it is a lived reality.
In 2024, our faculty, staff, and students demonstrated resilience and resolve. From engaging in high-impact research to championing advocacy at the national level, their work serves as a beacon of excellence and a testament to our founding principles.
We also strengthened our physical and academic infrastructure, thanks to the generous support of philanthropic partners who believe in our mission. With the new Health Professions Education Building under construction, we are investing in the spaces where tomorrow’ s leaders will learn to heal.
Thank you to our students, who are the heart of this institution. Their commitment to service and scholarship inspires us daily. I am equally thankful for our alumni, partners, faculty, and staff who demonstrate unwavering dedication and belief in what CDU represents.
Together, we continue to advance a vision of a world without health disparities. Let this report stand not only as a record of what we’ ve accomplished, but as a call to action for all who believe in the power of education to transform lives.
In unity and service,
Dr. David M. Carlisle, MD, PhD President and CEO Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science
1 2024 Annual Report | President’ s Message