Practice Makes Perfect / Research Makes Possible

Celebrating Black History Month

picture with collage of Black history month icons

Black History Month

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Digital Illustration of Angela Duncan created by Kelsea Dvorak

Associate Dean of Diversity Equity and Inclusion Angela Duncan Ph.D.

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Health Administration
The first African American MHA student was Phillip Brooks in 1971. In the following years the MHA Class of 1974 had one African American man and so did the MHA Class of 1975. The first African American female student was Brenda Williams, MHA Class of 1976.

Medical Laboratory Sciences
Vera Taylor and Doris E. Brown were the first African American graduates from Medical Technology in 1953.

Patient Counseling
The very first CPE group, in 1959, included George Polk, an African American clergyman, who went on to become a CPE Supervisor. He could only see patients in the hospital for African Americans at St. Philips.

Physical Therapy
African American student, Marjorie Lousie Vaughn, was admitted in the fall of 1951 and graduated in 1952. 

A message from Dean Susan Parish

Dean Susan Parish _smaller [View Image]

Hello. In the College of Health Professions, I affirm that 

  • We reject racism in all its forms, from daily microaggressions to police murders and everything in between;
  • We know racism impacts every facet of physical and mental health, and our College will never be effective in improving the health of individuals and communities without addressing racism; and
  • We know enough about the terrible consequences of racism on the health of individuals, families, and communities to take action NOW. We do not need more research evidence, we need more action. 

In these difficult times, .....Click here to Read More......

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5

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More than 60 percent of health care professionals work in fields requiring specialized knowledge at the undergraduate, master's or doctoral level. Their jobs are some of the most in-demand in health care. The VCU College of Health Professions is one of the very best at equipping future health care leaders with the skills they need to build stronger, healthier communities. 

Widely considered to be one of the top health professions schools in the nation, our degree programs rank among the very best in their fields. Together, we are educating the heart of health care.

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Featured news

Angela Duncan named to associate dean shared position at the School of Nursing and College of Health Professions

VCU School of Nursing announced that Angela Duncan, Ph.D., M.S., M.Div., has been named associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion in a shared position with the VCU College of Health Professions, effective immediately.

A champion for reducing health disparities in marginalized and underserved communities, Duncan has led the College of Health Profession’s diversity, equity and inclusion efforts as associate dean since January 2020. Her exceptional work led to her being engaged to assess and guide the School of Nursing’s DEI efforts, said Jean Giddens, Ph.D., RN, FAAN, dean and professor of the VCU School of Nursing.

 

The VCU College of Health Professions has named Paula Song, Ph.D., as the new chair of Health Administration

“I am thrilled to welcome Paula, to our team,” said Susan Parish, Ph.D., dean of the VCU College of Health Professions. “She brings an extraordinary set of experiences, and I am confident their collective energy, leadership and vision will have a considerable impact on the College.”

Since 2017, Song served as program director for the residential master’s program in the Department of Health Policy and Management at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) and a research associate at the Cecil G. Sheps Center for Health Services Research. 

“I feel very fortunate to contribute to a dynamic field that has an impact on people’s lives and healthcare experiences,” said Song.

VCU Nurse Anesthesia tool provides learning opportunities from real-world experiences

Anesthesia eNonymous has been rebuilt from the ground up by the team at VCU Nurse Anesthesia. It's a free resource with real patient stories from the operating room, offering lessons of how CRNAs and their teams stared down a challenge and emerged on the other side. Our goal is to learn from these stories, together, to become better providers. For more information, visit here. 

Architectural publication highlights College of Health Professions

The College of Health Professions' feature wall the subject of a recent article in the spring 2020 issue of "Design Solutions," a magazine produced by the Architectural Woodwork Institute. To read the full article visit here. 

Compassionate care in the health setting

Laura McClelland, PhD, associate professor in the VCU Department of Health Administration, appeared in a recent podcast of the Virginia Hospital and Healthcare Association (VHHA). McClelland discussed her latest research about the importance of compassionate care culture in the healthcare setting. Listen to the full podcast here. 

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