Joan Reede facts for kids

Joan Y. Reede (born in 1953) is an American physician. She is a very important leader at Harvard Medical School. She was the first person to be the dean for diversity and community partnership there. This means she helps make sure everyone feels welcome and has opportunities.

Dr. Reede is also part of the National Academy of Medicine. She is well-known for creating programs that help doctors and scientists learn and grow. People who have been in her programs even started a group called The Reede Scholars to honor her work.

Early Life and Education

Dr. Reede was born and grew up in Boston. Her family came from Georgia a long time ago. Even though some school officials tried to discourage her, she worked hard. She went to Brown University and finished her studies there in 1977.

After Brown, she went to Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. She became a doctor in 1980. It's cool that her mom, Tommye Reede, also earned her college degree the same year!

Dr. Reede then moved to Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. There, she trained to be a pediatrician, which is a doctor for children. Later, she specialized in child psychiatry at Boston Children's Hospital.

She continued her education at Harvard later in her career. She earned two master's degrees from the Harvard School of Public Health. One was in Public Health in 1990, and another in Policy and Management in 1992. She also has an MBA from Boston University.

Career and Research

Dr. Reede started her career helping people in Boston. She worked with young people in jail and with children in public schools. Throughout her career, she has taught teachers and students about health. She also advised the National Institutes of Health on many important topics.

Leading Diversity at Harvard

In 2001, Dr. Reede got a new and important job at Harvard. She became the first African-American woman dean at Harvard Medical School. Her role was to lead the Office of Diversity, Inclusion, and Community Partnership (DICP). She also started a special program to help doctors learn how to work with patients better.

The DICP programs at Harvard help more people get into careers in science and medicine. In 1990, she began the Minority Faculty Development Program. This program helped minority teachers and researchers grow in their careers. She also started three leadership programs focused on health policy. People from these programs formed The Reede Scholars. This group works to improve health and change health policies through education and research. Dr. Reede also created research programs for Harvard Medical School teachers and researchers who have finished their doctorates.

Supporting Future Scientists

In 1991, she started the Biomedical Science Careers Program. This program helps people from all backgrounds who are interested in science and medicine. It also helps hospitals and companies find diverse and talented workers. This program gets money from a yearly event called "Evening of Hope."

Dr. Reede also organizes the annual New England Science Symposium. This event shows off the amazing research done by scientists at all stages of their careers. This includes students in college all the way up to experienced researchers.

Her Research Focus

Dr. Reede's own research looks at how to make the science and medical fields more diverse. She studies how important networking is for doctors' careers. She also looks at the challenges faced by women, especially women of color, in medical careers. Her research has also explored differences in how men and women, and different races, receive grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Building a Strong Community

Dr. Reede has worked hard to create a welcoming environment at Harvard Medical School. She started awards to celebrate people who do great community service. She also recognized staff who provided excellent service and those who were great mentors. She has also supported internship programs that give chances to students from all backgrounds, especially those who might not have many opportunities.

National Influence

Many people across the country ask Dr. Reede for her advice. She has served on important committees for the National Institutes of Health. She was also a leader in groups focused on diversity and health differences for the Association of American Medical Colleges and the National Academy of Medicine.

Honors and Awards

Dr. Reede has received many awards for her important work:

• 1986: Health Award from the Boston NAACP
• 1993: Community Service Award from the Epilepsy Association of Massachusetts
• 1996: Exemplary Models of Administrative Leadership Award
• 1998: Dean's Award for supporting diversity at Harvard Medical School
• 1998: Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar
• 2002: Leadership Award from the National Dental Association
• 2003: Honored in "Changing the Face of Medicine" by the National Library of Medicine
• 2004: Diggs Lecture at the National Institutes of Health
• 2005: Herbert W. Nickens Award from the Society of General Internal Medicine
• 2005: Herbert W. Nickens Award from the Association of American Medical Colleges
• 2005: Academic Leadership in Primary Care Award
• 2007: Riland Medal for Public Service
• 2007: Honorary Doctorate from New York Institute of Technology
• She is on the Board of Directors for the National Hispanic Medical Association
• 2009: Became a member of the National Academy of Medicine
• 2011: Diversity Award from the Association of Professors of Medicine
• 2012: Elizabeth Beckman Hurlock Award
• 2015: Jacobi Medallion from Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
• 2016: Health Equity Hero award
• 2017: Commitment to Diversity award from Xconomy
• 2018: Heroes in Health Care award from the Visiting Nurse Association
• 2019: NEHI Innovator in Health Award
• 2023: Was the main speaker for the graduating class at Georgetown University School of Medicine