Richard Allen Williams

Richard Allen Williams (born 1936) is an American physician who is founder of the Association of Association of Black Cardiologists. He previously served as the President of the National Medical Association.

Richard Allen Williams
Born1936 (age 84–85)
Wilmington, Delaware
Alma mater
Scientific career
Institutions

Early life and education

Williams was born in Wilmington, Delaware, to a family of eight children. He was educated in a segregated community, and attended an all-Black school until 12th grade.[1] He attended Howard High School of Technology where he graduated top of his class.[2] Williams was awarded a full scholarship to attend Harvard University, which he graduated cum laude.[3][4] He was the first African American from Delaware to join Harvard, and the first cohort of students to live in segregated dormitories.[1] He studied medicine at the State University of New York and graduated in 1962.[5] He completed a cardiology fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital and the Keck School of Medicine of USC. He was the first Black trainee to complete an internship at Brigham and Women's Hospital.[6]

Research and career

Williams joined the Harvard Medical School as an instructor in cardiology. Whilst there, he established a Central Recruitment Council for hospitals in Boston.[6] The council increased the representation of Black medical trainees at Harvard University, Boston University and Tufts University.[6] Williams moved to California, where he helped to open the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in 1972. He worked with David Satcher to establish the King-Drew Sickle Cell Center, and was appointed the Director. Williams moved to West Los Angeles VA Medical Center where was made Chief of the Heart Station. He was the first Black physician to become Professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.[7]

In 1974 Williams founded the Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC), and served as President for ten years.[8] The ABC established the Richard Allen Williams Scholarship in 1980, which provides financial support to Black medical students.[7] In an essay for the Harvard Medical School alumni association Williams remarked that he established the ABC because “Blacks were being misunderstood by whites in medicine,”.[8] ABC looks to eliminate disparities in cardiovascular disease through advocacy and education, and started a patient-focussed platform that offers free digital health guides.[9] He also launched the Minority Health Institute, which looks to take on racism in healthcare and improve the health of minorities.[6]

Awards and honours

Selected works
  • Williams, Richard Allen, 1936- (2020). Blacks in medicine clinical, demographic, and socioeconomic correlations. Springer. ISBN 978-3-030-41960-8. OCLC 1153038118.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  • Williams, Richard Allen. (2014). Healthcare disparities at the crossroads with healthcare reform. Springer. ISBN 978-1-4899-8786-0. OCLC 902763811.
  • Textbook of Black-related diseases. Williams, Richard Allen, 1936-. New York: McGraw-Hill. 1975. ISBN 0-07-070560-7. OCLC 1288411.CS1 maint: others (link)

References
  1. Williams, Richard Allen (2011-03-23). Healthcare Disparities at the Crossroads with Healthcare Reform. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4419-7136-4.
  2. "Dr. Richard Allen Williams" (PDF). CLBC. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  3. "About the Founder". Minority Health Institute. 2017-05-17. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  4. "Aetna: African American History Calendar: 2002: Richard Allen Williams, M.D.: Biography". www.aetna.com. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  5. downstatealumni (2016-10-07). "Richard Allen Williams, MD '62, Named 117th President of National Medical Association". SUNY Downstate Medical Alumni. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  6. "Courageous Conversations | Richard Allen Williams: A Lifetime Dedicated to Diversity, Inclusion". American College of Cardiology. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  7. "Dr. Richard Allen Williams" (PDF). CLBC. Retrieved 2020-08-21.
  8. Bailey, Rahn K.; Saldana, Adrienne M.; Saldana, Andrea M. (2020-07-06). "Richard Allen Williams, M.D.: a Career Fighting Disparities and Fostering Equity". Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities. doi:10.1007/s40615-020-00813-8. ISSN 2196-8837. PMC 7338106. PMID 32632825.
  9. "ABC-Patient". www.abc-patient.com. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  10. "Physician honored for work with minorities". EurekAlert!. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  11. "Williams Gala". AMA Foundation. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  12. Writer, Staff (2019-06-22). "AMA Honors Dr. Richard Allen Wiliams » Cardiology2.0". Cardiology2.0. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  13. "National Medical Association Installs its 117th President - National Medical Association". www.nmanet.org. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  14. "Harold on History | Black History Month and Pioneering African American Physicians". American College of Cardiology. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  15. "Dr. Richard Williams To Receive Jackie Robinson Award". Minority Health Institute. 2017-12-21. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  16. Writer, Staff (2019-06-22). "AMA Honors Dr. Richard Allen Wiliams » Cardiology2.0". Cardiology2.0. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  17. "Dr. Richard Allen Williams receives Compleat Award". News Break. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
  18. "About Us". www.hcms.org. Retrieved 2020-08-17.
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