From the Archives: From Shame to Fame Initiative, Diversity in the Cardiology Workforce
From Shame to Fame: Diversity in the Cardiology Workforce
That was then …
In 2006, the Association of Black Cardiologists conducted a study to determine the most inclusive and exclusive training programs historically for underrepresented minorities. Of the 185 institutions receiving federal funding for their cardiology training programs, 25 percent had yet to graduate the first African American. In 2007, ABC’s Chief Executive Officer Waine Kong, MD spoke at an event for cardiologists in training held at Ohio State University (OSU), where not a single attendee was black. He told the audience that OSU had never trained a single black doctor in more than 50 years of training cardiologists. (Read Dr. Kong’s article describing the institutionalized obstacles here.) In short order, Dr. William Abraham, chief of Cardiovascular Medicine at OSU charged the fellowship committee, which included recently hired interventional cardiologist and ABC member Quinn Capers, IV, MD with making diversity a top priority.
And this is now …
Capers, now the associate dean of Admissions at OSU’s College of Medicine, sent us this recent photo of a historic moment in OSU’s new reality: four black men (3 doctors, 1 tech) working together to save a life in the cath lab at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. In 2012, the ABC awarded Ohio State its “Diversity in Cardiology” Award in recognition of the incredible transformation into one of the nation’s most diverse cardiology fellowship programs. (Read Dr. Capers’ article in the Journal of Graduate Medical Education describing these efforts here.)