Skip to contents
In This Issue:
In an emotional reception in the Cabot Atrium on Tuesday, May 18, guests and members of BWH’s Division of Social Medicine and Health Inequalities (DSMHI) celebrated the launch of the Howard Hiatt Residency in Global Health Equity and Internal Medicine. The new residency program is one of only a few programs in the United States that provides physicians with rigorous internal medicine training while addressing global health disparities.
“This program marks a new era in training generations of physicians to provide care to underserved patients around the globe,” said Victor Dzau, MD, chair, BWH Department of Medicine, who welcomed reception attendees Tuesday evening.
Two first-year BWH internal medicine residents have been selected for the Hiatt Residency, a four-year training program in medicine, health policy and research. The program leads to eligibility for certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) and completion of a master’s degree in Public Health through the Harvard School of Public Health.
Drs. Nancy Lange and David Walton—inaugural Hiatt residents—attended the reception, offering a few words of reflection on what the new program means to them. “I initially sought out experiences in international health while in medical school because I was interested in other cultures and languages,” said Lange. “Through these experiences, I developed a new awareness and strong desire to work as a physician in resource-poor areas.”
The residency program honors Howard Hiatt, MD, whose leadership and advocacy for global health equity spans a career of nearly 50 years. Most recently, Hiatt, together with Drs. Paul Farmer and Jim Kim, founded the DSMHI, which is dedicated to addressing health disparities through training, education, research and service.
“This residency is a testament to Dr. Howard Hiatt’s vision and ever-present push to continue addressing medical challenges around the world,” said Gary L. Gottlieb, MD, MBA, BWH president. “The extraordinary work of Dr. Hiatt, Dr. Paul Farmer and their colleagues is, and will continue to be, crucial to BWH’s mission.”
To close the reception, Farmer addressed the audience, acknowledging Hiatt’s significant role in the creation of the DSMHI and the new residency and presenting him with a citation. “We are all grateful for Howard’s continuing involvement in our work, and for his willingness to lend his name and support to this innovative program that embodies his enduring commitment to serving the health needs of impoverished populations around the world,” said Farmer.