Herbert W. Nickens Minority Health & Medicine Award

Who Should Be Nominated

The Herbert W. Nickens Award recognizes exceptional commitment to cultural diversity in medicine. The award will honor an SGIM member who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to cultural diversity in medicine or improving minority health.

Background

The award is named in memory and honor of the late Dr. Herbert W. Nickens, former Director of the Office of Minority Health, Department of Health and Human Services, and the first Vice President and Director of the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Division of Community and Minority Programs. During his tenure at the AAMC, Dr. Nickens established groundbreaking programs designed to address the critical need for minority physicians and improvements in minority health status, including Project 3000 by 2000, launched in 1991 to dramatically increase the number of underrepresented minority students enrolling in U.S. medical schools, and the Minority Medical Education Project, created in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, to “jump-start” the medical education of promising minority college students through no-cost summer enrichment programs at eight leading medical schools. Dr. Nickens also substantially expanded several previously existing initiatives to increase the number and success of minority medical faculty. Numerous SGIM members have participated in and benefited from these programs.

This award is supported by contributions from the Hess Foundation.