Leon McCrea II, MD, MPH, serves as the Deborah J. Tuttle, MD and John P. Piper, MD Vice Dean for Educational Affairs at Drexel University College of Medicine. A dedicated leader in medical education, Dr. McCrea is widely recognized for his efforts to advance inclusive excellence in academic medicine. He works collaboratively with the Offices of Admissions, Educational Affairs, Student Affairs and Alumni Engagement to implement best practices for promoting educational innovation workforce development within the College of Medicine and its biomedical sciences programs. In addition, he serves as a resource for affiliate training sites, providing education and training in bias mitigation and inclusivity strategies. Dr. McCrea’s mission is to create an environment where learners and faculty are prepared to lead healthcare innovation across all educational domains.
Dr. McCrea is an associate professor in the Department of Family, Community & Preventive Medicine and has served in multiple leadership roles, including as the program director for the Family Medicine Residency and Drexel Pathway to Medical School programs. In these roles, he focused on developing competency-based curricula, supporting learners from historically underrepresented backgrounds, and fostering mentorship to advance the next generation of health care leaders.
A graduate of Brown University, where he earned his undergraduate degree in human biology, Dr. McCrea went on to complete his MD and Master of Public Health degrees at the University of Pittsburgh. He trained in family medicine at Crozer-Keystone Health System, where he later joined the faculty and became the associate program director of the Family Medicine Residency. In 2015, Dr. McCrea was recruited to Drexel University College of Medicine as the program director of the Family Medicine Residency and was later appointed assistant dean of diversity, equity and inclusion. His work in this role culminated in his promotion to senior associate dean of diversity, equity and inclusion in 2020.
Dr. McCrea is a fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and board-certified in family medicine. His clinical interests span women’s health, adolescent medicine, contraception, men’s health and office-based procedures. Academically, he is deeply engaged in competency-based medical education, mentorship and leadership development. He is also a proponent of integrating novel technologies into medical education to enhance learning and evaluation.
Dr. McCrea proudly serves as the chair of the Consortium of DEI Health Educators (CDHE), a regional collective dedicated to advancing inclusive excellence within health professions education. In this role, Dr. McCrea leads efforts to develop innovative curricula, foster collaboration among educators, and implement evidence-based strategies to reduce health disparities and promote inclusive learning environments. His work with the CDHE has resulted in the creation of a pathway program and an annual Health Equity Summit.
Dr. McCrea’s national leadership includes serving on the Diversity and Health Equity Task Force of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Oversight Committee for Individuals Underrepresented in Medicine, and the Board of Directors for the Family Medicine Educational Consortium (FMEC). He was elected president of the FMEC in 2022 and continues to guide the organization in advancing family medicine education. Additionally, he is distinguished faculty in the American Academy of Family Physicians Chief Resident Leadership Development Program.
Outside of his professional achievements, Dr. McCrea and his wife Nikki recently celebrated 17 years of marriage. He is a proud "girl dad" to their two teenage daughters. Balancing his personal and professional commitments, Dr. McCrea remains an exemplar of organizational innovation in medical education, preparing learners and faculty to lead in an evolving health care landscape.