MSM Students to Participate in Biogen’s Summer Health Equity Fellowship Program
Fellowship program aims to help advance health equity and improve patient experiences.
ATLANTA – OCTOBER 18, 2021 – Morehouse School of Medicine MD and PhD students, starting in June 2022, will be offered a remarkable learning opportunity in collaboration with Biogen that contributes to both organizations’ missions to advance health equity and to help improve healthcare outcomes for diverse communities.
Morehouse School of Medicine students will be invited to work in Biogen’s Summer Health Equity Fellowship program, which will offer students exposure to the biotechnology industry, access to subject matter experts and the opportunity to work on projects that will develop equitable healthcare experiences for patients in underrepresented and underserved communities. Additionally, Biogen, a leader in neuroscience, will employ at least five Morehouse School of Medicine MD and/or PhD students as fellows during the program.
“Partnerships with research and neuroscience pioneers such as Biogen provide Morehouse School of Medicine students with exciting career, education and networking opportunities,” said DeQuan Smith, EdD, associate director, Graduate Education in Biomedical Sciences (GEBS), Morehouse School of Medicine. “We will offer workshops to prepare our students for this newly established health equity summer fellowship, along with other internships and co-op opportunities. We are grateful and excited for what the future holds with Biogen.”
“Morehouse School of Medicine and Biogen share the same mission, and this partnership was an evolution of both institutions’ work in advancing health equity,” said James W. Lillard, PhD, MBA, senior associate dean, Research, Innovation & Commercialization at Morehouse School of Medicine. “The opportunities offered by Biogen will be a natural progression of our mission to ensure patient wellness, safety and accelerate the process of drug development in neurological disorders.”
“Morehouse School of Medicine’s focus on health equity is directly aligned with Biogen’s priority to improve health outcomes for underserved and underrepresented people,” said Chirfi Guindo, Head of Global Product Strategy and Commercialization, Biogen. “Through our strong relationship with MSM we are able to establish this fellowship, creating more opportunities for students to make an impact within their communities as we work to shape a healthier, more sustainable and more equitable future.”
About Biogen
Biogen, one of the world’s first biotechnology companies, is advancing the industry's most diversified pipeline in neuroscience to address patient care in several areas of high unmet need. Today, Biogen has the leading portfolio of medicines to treat multiple sclerosis, has introduced the first approved treatment for spinal muscular atrophy, and is providing the first and only approved treatment to address a defining pathology of Alzheimer’s disease.
About Morehouse School of Medicine
Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation’s number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission—the creation and advancement of health equity. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master’s degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit www.msm.edu or call 404-752-1500.
Contact
Biogen
Ashleigh Koss
781-464-3260
Public.affairs@biogen.com
Morehouse School of Medicine
Nicole V. Linton
404-756-5238
nlinton@msm.edu