CDU News | Page 3
President ’ s Message
Greetings ,
I was extremely honored to have been part of making a very important announcement not only for CDU , but also for our community , our city , and the health professions . CDU staff , faculty , students and guests gathered in October to hear that Charles R . Drew University of Medicine and Science has received approval to launch the first Historically Black MD medical degree program to open anywhere in the U . S . since 1981 .
This is a historic moment for CDU and our community , a moment when we make a significant stride towards our mission of cultivating diverse health professional leaders who are dedicated to social justice and health equity for underserved populations . The new program will be the first and only such program offered through a Historically Black institution west of the Mississippi and will directly impact physician workforce diversity in California and beyond .
Our community , and in fact the entire western U . S ., has for too long been deprived of an MD program built from the ground up with diversity , equity , and inclusion fused into its very bones . No more . It is a great achievement for CDU to finally remedy this once and for all .
This program will train future physicians and doctors of color imbued with CDU ’ s vision of a world without health disparities . This represents the culmination of a dream held by CDU ’ s founders , the surrounding community , and all the University ’ s subsequent leaders since it opened its doors in 1966 to have our own independent MD program .
It has been a long road to receive preliminary accreditation for this program from the Liaison Committee on Medical Education , which entailed a thorough and involved University-wide process that included exceptional participation by the team at our College of Medicine where this program will be offered . Significant gifts and grants from individuals , institutions , and state budget allocations have been pledged or received in recognition of the valuable and positive impact the MD program will have on training doctors of color .
CDU ’ s new medical school will stand as a national model for serving the needs of under-resourced communities . We are greatly appreciative of the many people beyond our University , including the community , local , state and federal government representatives , partners , and stakeholders , as well as the many dedicated professionals within CDU , who have contributed so much and labored so diligently for so long to bring this dream to a reality .
The Mighty Lion spirit runs deep with the extended CDU Community and this success stands as proof that there is nothing we cannot achieve when we work together towards common goals and the greater good .
Sincerely ,
Dr . David M . Carlisle , MD , PhD . President and CEO