Premier Receives NMA Medical Award
Recently, the National Medical Association (NMA) convened its 108th Annual Convention and Scientific Assembly in Orlando, Florida and Premier Dr Ewart Brown was one of the recipients of the Association’s prestigious 2010 Scroll of Merit Award.
The Scroll of Merit Award is the NMA Board of Trustees’ highest recognition. The Premier was formally recognised last Saturday [July 31] by the NMA for “his stellar leadership, outstanding humanitarian endeavours, dedicated and tenacious work in grass roots community medicine, and staunch support of medical education”.
First Lady Michelle Obama’s efforts were also recognised at the event. She was honoured with the Scroll of Merit for her campaign to combat childhood obesity. The US Surgeon General, Dr. Regina Benjamin, who delivered the keynote address at last Saturday’s ceremony, was also a recipient of the Scroll of Merit Award.
Premier Brown said, “It was wonderful to be recognised with such an incredibly amazing group of individuals. I was deeply humbled and gratified to receive this honour. I have always believed that there is nothing more rewarding or fulfilling than service to others. My desire to become a doctor was driven by a deep and passionate drive to help people. It has been my singular honour to have my efforts recognised by the National Medical Association.”
Each year the NMA Opening Awards Ceremony recognises those who exemplify visionary leadership, service and extraordinary achievement in health care for people of colour. Founded in 1895, a time when black medical professionals were barred from other medical associations, the NMA worked through the civil rights movement to facilitate the desegregation of hospitals and equal rights for all patients and medical providers. The NMA presently represent the interests of in excess of 30,000 black doctors under the leadership of former U.S. Congressman Kweisi Mfume.
In addition to Premier Dr Brown, First Lady Michelle Obama and the US Surgeon General, other honourees included:
- Dr Griffin P. Rodgers, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health
- Dr Virginia A. Cane, Director of the Indianapolis Marion County Health Department
- Dr Gilbert C. Jordan, OASIS AIDS Clinic at King-Drew Medical Centre, California
- Dr Michael Leaner, President Ethnic Health Institute at Alfa Bates Summit Medical Centre Sam Francisco, California
- Dr John C. Nelson, President of the Salt Lake County Medical Society, former President American Medical Association
The Premier, who has won a number of medical awards previously, had quite an accomplished medical career before going into politics. He earned an M.D. from Howard’s College of Medicine, and a Master of Public Health from the University of California.
Some of his medical accomplishments include being singled out by Howard University’s College of Medicine twice for distinguished service to the college, being awarded the Physicians Recognition Award from the American Medical Association, winning the Scroll Award from the Union of American Physicians and Dentists and serving as a physician consultant of well known civil rights leader and former Democratic US Presidential candidate Rev. Jesse Jackson.
He is a certified Diplomat of the American Board of Family Practice, a Diplomat of the American Board of Quality Assurance and Utilization Review Physicians, and served as Vice President of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists.
Premier Dr. Brown is a former member of the Board of Directors of Marina Hills Hospital in Los Angeles, California; a former member of the California State Commission on Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health; and a founding Commissioner of the Board of Prevention Commissioners for South Central Los Angeles Regional Centre for Development Disabilities. He was a Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Western Park Hospital in California and has also served as Director of Quality Assurance for the Los Angeles Doctor’s Hospital; as Chairman of the Minority Group Affairs of the Student American Medical Association and as a Coordinator of the Summer Health Task Force of the National Urban Coalition in Washington D.C.; as Chairman of the Utilization Review Committee, West Adams Hospital, Los Angeles, California; and as Secretary of the Charles R Drew Medical Society in Los Angeles.
