[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 51 (Monday, April 23, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S3784]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                      MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

 Mr. CLELAND. Mr. President, 25 years ago the National Medical 
Association and other prominent organizations endorsed the development 
of the Medical School at Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. This came in 
light of studies that revealed first, a severe shortage of African 
American and other minority physicians in the United States, 
particularly in Georgia and second, that African Americans suffered 
disproportionately from major diseases. Since its inception, Morehouse 
School of Medicine has worked to help solve our nation's health care 
crisis by graduating top-quality physicians who dedicate themselves to 
serving the more than 32 million people in this country who live in 
medically neglected communities. More than 80 percent of Morehouse 
School of Medicine graduates practice in underserved communities. Each 
year, the School graduates five times the national average of African 
Americans completing their studies at accredited medical schools in 
this country.
  Since 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine has grown from an entry 
class of 25 students to a current 40 students per class. Each year, 
over 20,000 Georgians who are disadvantaged are served by approximately 
50 community health promotion projects sponsored by Morehouse School of 
Medicine. These projects include prevention initiatives associated with 
substance abuse, teen pregnancy, geriatric services, cancer, lead 
poisoning and violence prevention. In addition to the Medical School's 
activities in community health promotion, Morehouse School of Medicine 
provides about 25,000 patient encounters for approximately 10,000 
people per year in community clinics throughout metropolitan Atlanta 
area. The student body of Morehouse School of Medicine continues to 
excel and 100 percent of the institution's family medicine and surgery 
residents passed their board exams in their first sitting for 2 years 
in a row.
  These accomplishments stem in part from the strong leadership of 
Morehouse School of Medicine's founding dean and president, Louis W. 
Sullivan, M.D., who has been with the Medical School since its 
inception. Aside from his years in Washington as U.S. Secretary of 
Health and Human Services, Dr. Sullivan has dedicated his life's work 
to producing top-quality physicians. During his tenure, Morehouse 
School of Medicine established several programs. These include a 4-year 
undergraduate medical education program, seven residency programs and 
several centers of excellence including the National Center for Primary 
Care, the Neuroscience Institute, the Cardiovascular Institute and the 
NASA/Space Medicine and Life Science Research Center, the first of its 
kind at a minority medical institution.
  Dr. Sullivan has worked tirelessly to provide vision and direction 
for the institution's future, while continuing to preserve the very 
best traditions of its past. Morehouse School of Medicine, the State of 
Georgia and our Nation are truly blessed to have his 
leadership.

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