Issue No. 43 | November 2015
White Coats For Black Lives
Hopkins Health Students Stand In Solidarity For Diversity In Higher Education.
Students gathered at the Armstrong Medical Education building on Nov. 13 in support of diversity in higher education.

Nearly 150 students from the Johns Hopkins University schools of medicine, public health, and nursing gathered Nov. 13 in a show of support for students at the University of Missouri, who have led a weeks-long protest effort against racial discrimination.

"We, students in the health professions at Johns Hopkins, stand in solidarity with black students and their fellow students of color at the University of Missouri, Yale University, and universities throughout the nation as they raise their voices against institutional violence and racism," a statement from the students read. "As future health professionals invested in the well-being of people of color, we recognize that systemic violence and racial injustice damage the health of individuals and communities. We understand that racism is a public health concern and are committed to serving as allies and activists in the movement for racial justice in our communities and our chosen professions.

"Inspired by their courage and emboldened by their resilience, we stand in love, support, and admiration of black students at the University of Missouri and across the country."

Johns Hopkins Medicine Chief Diversity Officer James E. Page Jr., M.B.A., met with the students at Armstrong to discuss their concerns; he says students have the full support of Johns Hopkins Medicine leadership.

While a great deal of progress has been made, "we have some work to do," said Page, who acknowledges the need to recruit more African American faculty in basic sciences. 

Page says JHM will release a diversity report this winter. The report will include metrics and initiatives that foster an inclusive environment.

Dean Paul B. Rothman, M.D., along with Page and other JHM leaders, also plan to meet with the Biomedical Scholars Association and the Student National Medical Association this winter to lay out an aggressive diversity action plan.  

For more information, e-mail the JHM Office of Diversity and Inclusion at  [email protected].

Jessica Briggs, M.D., Sarah Johnson, M.D., and Neil Aggarwal, M.D., applaud the new options provided to residents in the Pathways program. 
New 'Pathways' In Residency Training
Program Offers Options For 2nd- And 3rd-Year Residents.

The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Pathways program offers second- and third-year internal medicine residents specialized training in one of three areas: patient safety/quality improvement (QI), global health or scientific discovery.

"We're not aware of any one program in the nation that offers all these options," said Osler Program Associate Director Neil Aggarwal, M.D. (HS '07, PGF '07), who  leads the scientific discovery pathway and oversees the overall program.

Part of the strategic plan developed at the Department of Medicine's 2014 educational retreat, t he program incorporates individualized coursework, hands-on experiences and sophisticated mentorship into residents' chosen fields of interest, culminating with a research project. 

KIPP Baltimore students joined by Ronald J. Daniels, President of Johns Hopkins University; Elijah E. Cummings, U.S. Representative for Maryland's 7th Congressional District; Sen. Benjamin Cardin, U.S. Senator for Maryland; and Joshua B. Rales and Mitchell Rales, of the Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation. 
Health Meets Education
Rales Health Center Offers Full-Service, In-School Program To Baltimore Youth.

Taking care of a sick child may no longer mean missing a day's work for parents at KIPP Baltimore, a network of public charter schools.

The Ruth and Norman Rales Center for the Integration of Health and Education offers a new model of school-based health care at Harmony Academy and Ujima Village Academy, both housed at KIPP's Northwest Baltimore campus. S ervices include dental, vision and primary care. 

On Nov. 13, parents, students, staff, and elected officials attended a dedication ceremony for the $5 million health and education initiative designed to eliminate health barriers to academic success and foster lifelong achievement among Baltimore youth.

"We know we have to close the health disparities gap to improve kids' education and give them a better chance at a future," s aid Joshua B. Rales, President and Trustee of the Norman and Ruth Rales Foundation. "We think this health center is one way to do it." 

Co-directed by Professor of Pediatrics Tina Lee Cheng, M.D., M.P.H., and Associate Professor of Pediatrics Sara B. Johnson, M.P.H., Ph.D., t he Rales Health Center is a partnership between the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 

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Upcoming Events & Deadlines
Johns Hopkins High-Value Practice Research Symposium
Many faculty and trainees are engaged in research to  generate evidence that certain tests and procedures can be safely reduced to improve value and reduce cost. In recognition of these efforts, the School of Medicine is hosting the first High Value Practice Research Symposium on Feb. 1, 2016, noon- 5 p.m. in Albert H. Owens Auditorium in the Koch Cancer Research Building. A reception will follow.
Institute for Excellence in Education (IEE) 
Deadline: Jan.15, 2016 at noon
Biennial Meeting and Reunion Weekend 2017
The dates are set for the next Biennial Meeting and Reunion weekend. We hope to see you in Baltimore on June 8-11, 2017. Held in conjunction with The Johns Hopkins Medical & Surgical Association Biennial Meeting, the School of Medicine reunion will recognize graduating classes that end in 1, 2, 6 and 7. Save the date, and stay tuned. 

For more information about SOM alumni events, please email [email protected].
To view the JHU Alumni Association events calendar, click here.