Celebrating Black History Month

This February, ASH is celebrating Black History Month by taking a closer look at why representation in hematology matters.

ASH Minority Recruitment Initiative

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Minority Recruitment Initiative (MRI), designed to increase the participation of underrepresented minorities training in hematology-related fields and to increase the number of minority hematologists with academic and research appointments. Watch the video below to learn about the MRI program's impact in the world of hematology.

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Interviews With Melody Smith, MD, MS, and Rayne Rouce, MD

Listen to 2018 ASH President Dr. Alexis Thompson's conversation with Dr. Melody Smith about Dr. Smith's experience navigating the ASH career development and leadership pathways to help inspire aspiring hematologists and inform them of all the resources available through ASH.

Dr. Laura Michaelis interviews Dr. Rayne Rouce about her work with children as a pediatric hematologist/oncologist, in the lab, her work with advocacy and promoting diversity in health care, and her passion for music that has led to a rap career inspiring youth.

Additional Resources

• Lift as You Climb: An Interview With Michael R. DeBaun, MD, MPH
  Dr. DeBaun discusses his path to medicine, his interest in hematology, and his approach to mentoring.
• Interview with ASH Ambassador Oluwatoyosi Onwuemene, MD
  Learn about Dr. Onwuemene's interest in promoting diversity in hematology.
• Historical Perspectives on African American Physicians in Hematology
  Discover the rich legacy of Black physicians developing and innovating in the field of hematology.
• Get to know the individuals who are leading the way in the creation of more inclusive and equitable patient and health care communities.
• Navigating Her Own Journey to Hematology
  After travelling the world, working in finance, and attending performing arts school, Dr. Tamara Dunn finds her own path to becoming a doctor.
• From a Small-Town Farm in Oklahoma to Epidemiologist
  Dr. Deirdra Terrell, a first-generation college graduate, grew up on a farm in a small town in Oklahoma, with death and disease as a large part of her identity.
• A Competitive Runner on the Clinical Research Track
  Dr. Christopher Flowers’s competitive streak led him far beyond his local, regional, and national track and field championships.
• Inspiring Lyrics Help Fight Childhood Cancer
  Dr. Rayne Rouce is not your “classic” physician. Her patients and their families are glad that’s the case.
• A Chemistry Lover Finds Her Calling in Hematology
  Dr. Lachelle D. Weeks was all set to pursue a career in chemistry when she fell in love with oncology, after learning that nitrogen mustards were used to treat cancer in a medicinal chemistry class.
• Lift as You Climb: An Interview with Dr. Michael R. DeBaun, MD, MPH
  Dr. Michael R. DeBaun speaks about his family code of serving others, which he passes along to generations of mentees.
• Interviews With the ASH Minority Medical Student Award Program Awardees
  The ASH Minority Medical Student Award Program (MMSAP) provides underrepresented minority medical students with a mentored research experience to advance their careers as hematologists-in-training. Each year, we highlight several MMSAP awardees and their experiences as part of ASH’s robust career advancement pipeline.