Latest news with #JamesHildreth
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Vanderbilt University Medical Center cuts jobs, freezes some hiring amid federal cuts
Amid rumors of layoffs, Vanderbilt University Medical Center officials acknowledged May 5 that "some positions have been eliminated," but declined to reveal how many employees will lose their jobs. The cuts are in response to reductions in federal funding, according to an email from the hospital's chief communications officer John Howser. He declined to reveal the amount of money Vanderbilt expects to lose annually as President Donald Trump continues shrinking federal spending — including research aid from the National Institutes of Health. The hospital initially acknowledged a hiring freeze for most research positions March 28, but declined to give specifics. "In response to recent administrative orders impacting financial resources for medical research, it is necessary for VUMC to strategically reduce research operating costs," Howser said in a March statement. Both in March and in May, Howser said that despite the cuts, Vanderbilt is continued its efforts to provide health care to Tennesseans, citing a new 180-bed medical tower, the largest expansion in the medical center's history. The hospital "is continuing to hire frontline staff for its health system to accommodate ongoing growth in patient care and in preparation of the October opening" of the tower," Howser said. The federal cuts to National Institutes of Health grants also are expected to deliver a "crushing" blow to Meharry Medical College, its president and CEO, Dr. James Hildreth, told The Tennessean during a March interview. The renowned epidemiologist said he is bracing for up to a $30 million loss of funding, which could jeopardize jobs and vital medical research. The National Institutes of Health adopted a 15% cap on "indirect costs" for research, including equipment, laboratory space and utilities on Feb. 7. Hildreth joined leaders at Vanderbilt's medical center and college, at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis and at the University of Tennessee Health System in Knoxville to send a letter in February to the Tennessee congressional delegation expressing "grave concern" of the anticipated cuts that "will drastically reduce support for vital research infrastructure and activities in Tennessee." Reporter Beth Warren covers health care and can be reached at bwarren@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's Vanderbilt hospital cuts jobs amid NIH cuts
Axios
18-02-2025
- Health
- Axios
Share of new Black medical students in Tennessee sinks
Tennessee, which is home to one of the nation's only historically Black medical schools, saw its share of Black medical school students fall to its lowest point in decades this school year. Why it matters: Having doctors who resemble the patients they're serving can improve health outcomes and enable patients to feel more comfortable voicing health concerns, multiple studies suggest. Black patients being treated by Black doctors may experience less medical racism, whether that means better treatment in the emergency room or not having pain or other risk factors dismissed. Only 5% of doctors in the U.S. are Black, even though Black Americans comprise 14% of the general population. The big picture: There are five medical schools with M.D. programs in Tennessee. Belmont University, the newest addition, enrolled its first class of students last year. Meharry Medical College in Nashville is one of only a handful of historically Black medical schools in the country. Meharry president James Hildreth is part of a national effort to educate more Black doctors. State of play: Tennessee has consistently outperformed the nation when it comes to educating new Black doctors. But during the 2024-25 academic year, the Volunteer State fell below the national benchmark for the first time since at least the 1970s, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges, which has collected data on this topic since 1978. The AAMC data tracks the number of enrolled first-year Black medical students. By the numbers: In Tennessee, 30 first-year medical students this school year were Black. That accounts for 7.9% of the state total, compared to 8.9% nationally. Both figures have dropped in recent years. The latest: Belmont and the historically Black college Tennessee State University announced a new program Monday aiming to address this dynamic, and chip away at the national doctor shortage, by "increasing opportunities for underrepresented students in medicine." The partnership would give qualifying students the chance to pursue an accelerated track through undergraduate studies at TSU followed by medical school at Belmont. They would need to meet Belmont's admission standards during their last year at TSU. "By partnering with TSU, we're creating meaningful opportunities for talented students from underserved communities to pursue their medical dreams while addressing critical health care needs," Belmont associate dean Karen Lewis said in a statement. Between the lines: The recent national dip in Black medical school student enrollment follows the U.S. Supreme Court decision to strike down affirmative action in higher education.
