Thomas A. LaVeist facts for kids

Thomas A. LaVeist is an important leader in public health. He is currently the dean and a special professor at the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Before this, he led the Department of Health Policy and Management at George Washington University. Dr. LaVeist works to create new rules and programs that help fix unfair differences in health care, especially for people of different races.

He has written over 100 articles for science magazines. These include well-known journals like Health Affairs and American Journal of Public Health. His research has received money from big organizations such as the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Early Life and School

Thomas LaVeist grew up in the Brownsville area of Brooklyn, New York. He earned his first college degree, a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Sociology, from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in 1984. While at UMES, he played on the football team and was part of the Phi Beta Sigma fraternity.

He continued his studies at the University of Michigan. He received his Master of Arts (M.A.) in sociology in 1985. Then, he earned his Ph.D. (a very high degree) in medical sociology in 1988. He also did a special study program called a postdoctoral fellowship from 1988 to 1990. This program focused on older people's health and public health rules. In 2004, he got a certificate in leadership from Johns Hopkins University. He is also certified in how organizations are run.

While at the University of Michigan, Dr. LaVeist helped start the National Black Graduate Students Association. This group was created by students. Its first goal was to help African American graduate students grow in their careers. It also gave future researchers a place to share ideas. Over the years, this group has grown a lot. It now works with many schools across the United States.

Career Highlights

Dr. LaVeist joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins University in 1990. He held many different jobs there for 25 years. He was a professor of health policy and management. He also taught sociology. He worked with the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center. He also led the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities. This center focuses on unfair health differences.

After his long career at Johns Hopkins, he moved to George Washington University. There, he became a professor and led the Department of Health Policy and Management.

Important Projects

One of Dr. LaVeist's current projects is called "The Skin You're In." This project aims to raise awareness about racism and unfairness in health care. It focuses on how these issues affect people of color. The project includes a series of documentaries. These films follow everyday African American people in the United States. They show the challenges these individuals face when trying to get good health care because of racism. The project looks at what the problems are, why they happen, and how to fix them.

"The Skin You're In" also shares important information. It gives people access to research articles about health problems and unfair health care. These articles are usually hard to get without paying or being a student. Dr. LaVeist makes sure that all the articles shared are checked by other experts and are based on facts. His project also helps clear up common misunderstandings about African Americans and their health. He always provides his sources to back up his claims.

Funding for Research

Many groups have supported Dr. LaVeist's work with money. These include the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other supporters are the Department of Defense, the Commonwealth Fund, the Russell Sage Foundation, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Awards and Honors

Dr. LaVeist has received several important awards. He earned the Knowledge Award from the US Department of Health and Human Services. He also won the Roberta G. Simmons best Dissertation Award from the American Sociology Association. In 2013, he was chosen to be a member of the National Academy of Medicine. This is a very respected group of health experts.

Books He Has Written

• 2000, The DayStar Guide to Colleges for African American Students.
• 2003, Eight Steps to Help Black Families Pay for College.
• 2005, Minority Populations and Health: An Introduction to Health Disparities in the United States.
• 2012, Race, Ethnicity and Health: A Public Health Reader.
• 2017, Legacy of the Crossing: Life death and triumph among descendants of the world's greatest forced migration.