Ross honored by Association of American Medical Colleges
Nephrologist, public health epidemiologist recognized for diversifying health care
Ross
Will Ross, MD, the associate dean for diversity and the Alumni Endowed Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has received the 2024 Louis W. Sullivan, MD, Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). The honor recognizes medical leaders committed to diversifying the health-care workforce.
For nearly three decades, Ross, a nephrologist and public health epidemiologist, has devoted much of his career to eliminating health-care disparities in the U.S. and abroad as well as increasing diversity among medical students, residents and faculty. At WashU Medicine, Ross’ dedication has helped increase enrollment rates for students from underrepresented groups, from 5.7% in 1997 to 30% in 2023.
Additionally, Ross has developed innovative medical school pipeline programs designed to support promising students from underserved neighborhoods in St. Louis to pursue careers in the health-care industry. One example is the Collegiate School of Medicine and Bioscience, located a couple of miles from the Washington University Medical Campus.
Ross co-founded Collegiate 11 years ago as a magnet high school within Saint Louis Public Schools. The school aims to serve high-achieving students, many of whom reside in under-resourced neighborhoods and are interested in pursuing careers in science, medicine and health. Today, Collegiate consistently is ranked as one of the top high schools in Missouri.
Ross, who also has a master’s degree in public health, is recognized as a health policy expert. He has promoted health equality through collaborations with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as public health officials in Ethiopia and Haiti.
Ross also served as a charter member of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, which has leveraged more than $500 million to maintain a network of primary care clinics and public health services in medically underserved communities.
As WashU Medicine’s principal officer for community partnerships, Ross works with local organizations to increase access to health care for residents in underserved neighborhoods. He also seeks to develop new initiatives and partnerships with community leaders.
The AAMC award was created in 2020 to recognize Sullivan, a former secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services and the founding dean of Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta. Sullivan received the AAMC’s 2024 Herbert W. Nickens Award for his contributions to promoting justice in medical education and health-care equity in the U.S.
The AAMC will honor Ross, Sullivan and recipients of other AAMC awards during a virtual ceremony at 4 p.m. ET Oct. 30.
