Wil McKoy Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Interim Chief Operating Officer | Columbia U. Irving Medical Center
Wil McKoy Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Interim Chief Operating Officer | Columbia U. Irving Medical Center
Columbia University's Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S) recently celebrated Black History Month with an event that featured food, music, and a presentation by William Turner, an associate professor of medicine. The celebration took place on February 13.
Turner, who studied Black Studies in college, addressed the audience about the contributions and challenges faced by African American physicians in the United States and at Columbia University. He shared personal insights, saying, “I had the great fortune and privilege to be raised by an African American father and uncles who were physicians—so I’ve seen the history of medicine through their eyes and the challenges they faced.” Turner added that this upbringing inspired his passion for patient care.
During his talk, Turner highlighted notable African American pioneers in medicine. He mentioned James Durham, born in 1762, as the earliest recorded Black physician in the U.S., and James McCune Smith (1813-1865), who was both the first Black American to earn a medical degree and to publish articles in U.S. medical journals. Rebecca Lee Crumpler was also noted as the first African American woman to earn a medical degree in the U.S., publishing a book of medical advice for women and children in 1883.
Turner also spoke about Columbia's own trailblazers such as David McDonogh (1821-1893), recognized posthumously as the first Black Columbia-trained doctor in New York. Kenneth Forde (1933-2019) was another key figure mentioned; he was notably the only Black student in his VP&S class of 1959 and later became one of few Black faculty members after joining VP&S in 1966.
Christopher Irobunda, a professor of medicine at VP&S, opened the event with remarks emphasizing the significance of recognizing African American contributions: “African American history is American history,” he stated. “History is not just the study of the past. It’s important to recognize our people and how important they are to our institutions. We are great in education, research, and patient care.”
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