May 5, 2010

Brigham and Women’s Hospital President Elizabeth G. Nabel, MD, will deliver the keynote address during the commencement ceremony for Drexel University College of Medicine on Friday, May 21, at 9 a.m. at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts (Verizon Hall), 260 South Broad Street.

Nabel is the first female president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, making her both an inspiration and advocate for women pursuing careers in academic medicine. Since her appointment in January 2010, Nabel, a former director at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute at the National Institutes of Health, has set clear goals that include supporting and promoting the careers of women and underrepresented minorities.

“My medical school class at Cornell (in the late 1970s) was one-third women,” she says. “Today, women represent 50 percent of those in medical schools, but the number of women entering academic medicine and rising through the ranks into senior leadership is still quite limited. My goal is to ensure that women and underrepresented minorities have career advancement opportunities that include all ranks of faculty and senior leadership positions and to help them achieve that success in a way that is merit based and respectful of all individuals.”

During the commencement ceremony, Drexel University College of Medicine will bestow upon Nabel an Honorary Doctorate of Science degree.

Also receiving an honorary degree is the Honorable Estelle B. Richman, chief operating officer of the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development and former Pennsylvania secretary of public welfare. Richman will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degree for her advocacy on behalf of the people of Pennsylvania. Richman’s work has resulted in improved access to healthcare and enhanced quality of early childhood programs, among other accomplishments.

The 428 graduates will receive the following degrees:

• 257 doctor of medicine (MD)
• 18 doctor of philosophy (PhD)
• 1 joint MD/MBA (master of business admin.)
• 1 joint MD/MPH (master of public health)
• 4 master of science
• 27 master of biological science
• 30 master of medical science
• 17 master of forensic science
• 12 master of laboratory animal science
• 33 master of science in clinical research organization and management
• 8 master of science in pathologists’ assistant
• 2 master of science (Drexel Pathway to Medical School)
• 16 master of interdisciplinary health sciences