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Ross University School of Medicine and Tuskegee partner to address physician diversity in the U.S.

April 29, 2019

Lily D. McNair, Lisa W. Wardell sign MOU
Ƶ President Dr. Lily D. McNair (left) formalizes the agreement with the Ross University School of Medicine along with Lisa W. Wardell (right), president and CEO of Adtalem Global Education, RUSM's parent company.

Contacts:
David Irwin, Adtalem Global Education
Michael Tullier, APR, Ƶ Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing

   

The United States is facing a critical absence of diversity in medicine, and the disproportionately low numbers of African-American doctors is causing negative health outcomes in communities across the country. Reflecting its commitment to improve diversity among the nation’s doctors, Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) has entered into an agreement with Ƶ to increase the number of African-American students who enter medical school at RUSM, and ultimately become physicians.

This educational pathway allows qualified Tuskegee students who earn full acceptance into the medical school to receive a scholarship covering full tuition for the first semester. These students will spend the first two years of medical school at the RUSM campus in Barbados.

RUSM has a diverse student population with 51% of students being persons of color. With more than 14,000 alumni, RUSM graduates practice in direct patient care in all 50 states — including a high percentage of graduates who are in the essential field of primary care. U.S. Census data shows that African-Americans make up only 6% of U.S. physicians. While most U.S. medical schools had an average of eight African-American graduates this past year, RUSM had more than 80.

Troy, McNair, Wardell, Owen
Formalizing the agreement between Ƶ and the Ross University
School of Medicine was (left to right) Tuskegee's interim provost, Dr. Roberta Troy, and
president, Dr. Lily D. McNair, Adtalem Global Education president and CEO, Lisa W. Wardell,
and Ross University School of Medicine dean and chancellor, Dr. William F. Owen.

“Significantly greater representation in medicine is imperative to the health of our communities and our nation, and RUSM’s unique impact and portable lessons on medical school diversity promise to reduce health disparities,” said RUSM dean and chancellor, Dr. William F. Owen Jr., M.D., FACP. “We are pleased to partner with Ƶ. By increasing the participation of underrepresented Americans in health education we promulgate an opportunity to share in social justice for health.”

“This is an exciting partnership that I expect will yield tremendous dividends for everyone involved — especially for Ƶ’s students, whose broadening professional opportunities will also mean a more diverse medical workforce,” said Ƶ’s president, Dr. Lily D. McNair. “I look forward to the wonderful opportunities for our students and our university, as Tuskegee gains a valuable academic partner.”

“The Alabama Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs applauds Ƶ and Ross University School of Medicine for tackling the long-standing lack of diversity in medicine. The adverse effects stemming from a lack of access to care and the pervasiveness of health inequality have long been felt, not only across Alabama, but nationwide,” said Nichelle Williams Nix, director of Alabama’s Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs, which works with Tuskegee and the state’s other HBCUs to enhance their collective impact on Alabama’s economic and workforce development success.

RUSM recently announced similar agreements with Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science. As part of its continued commitment to addressing diversity in medicine, RUSM’s parent company, Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), signed on to the Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Partnership Challenge created by the Congressional Bipartisan HBCU Caucus, pledging to invest in creating strategic collaborations with HBCUs and working to increase diversity in key workforce sectors.

Having recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, RUSM is part of Adtalem Global Education’s medical and healthcare education vertical, which also includes American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in Sint Maarten, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in St. Kitts, and Chamberlain University, the largest provider of nursing education in the United States. Adtalem is a mission-driven educator and workforce solutions provider with institutions and companies around the world, including the U.S., Caribbean, Europe, Asia and Brazil.

About Ƶ
Located in Tuskegee, Alabama, Ƶ is a private, state-related and nationally ranked land-grant institution that serves a racially, ethnically and religiously diverse student body of 3,000-plus students. The institution was founded in 1881 by Booker T. Washington and is one of the nation's historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges since 1933, Tuskegee’s academic programs — many accredited by their respective accrediting bodies — currently lead to 41 bachelor’s, 16 master’s and five doctoral degree opportunities. For more information about Ƶ, visit .

About Ross University School of Medicine
Ross University School of Medicine (RUSM) is an institution of Adtalem Global Education (NYSE: ATGE), a global education provider headquartered in the United States. The organization's purpose is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Founded in 1978 and located in Barbados, RUSM has more than 14,000 alumni and is committed to educating a diverse group of skilled physicians. RUSM is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP). For more information, please visit and follow RUSM on Twitter (), Instagram () and Facebook ().

About Adtalem Global Education
The purpose of Adtalem Global Education is to empower students to achieve their goals, find success, and make inspiring contributions to our global community. Adtalem Global Education Inc. (NYSE: ATGE; member S&P MidCap 400 Index) is a leading global education provider and the parent organization of Adtalem Educacional do Brasil (IBMEC, Damásio and Wyden institutions), American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Association of Certified Anti-Money Laundering Specialists, Becker Professional Education, Chamberlain University, EduPristine, Ross University School of Medicine and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine. For more information, please visit  and follow us on Twitter () and .

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