Kevin Thomas, the School of Medicine’s first vice dean for equity, diversity, and inclusion, understands the magnitude of the challenge of leading meaningful change at an institution of this size. But he’s faced plenty of challenges before, and he’s embracing the opportunity.

Look at almost any arena within the world of medicine, science, and health care across the nation and beyond, and you will find individuals serving as leaders who learned and trained at Duke University School of Medicine.

In April 2022, Duke eye surgeon Lloyd Williams, MD, PhD, traveled to Sierra Leone to perform corneal transplant surgeries, restoring sight for patients who had suffered corneal-related blindness for years. Williams, associate professor of ophthalmology and director of the Duke Global Ophthalmology Program, performed 19 corneal transplants and four non-transplant surgical procedures during the visit.

According to medical sociologist Jeffrey Swanson, science shows if we want to create meaningful solutions to prevent gun violence, focusing on mental illness isn't the answer.

Third-year Duke medical student Emily Alway grew up near Detroit, but every July, her family would travel to North Carolina for Lumbee homecoming, which includes a parade and a pow-wow. The Lumbee Tribe is the largest Native American tribe in North Carolina, and its members have traditionally lived in Robeson, Cumberland, Hoke, and Scotland counties in the southeastern part of the state.

A donor rode her bike more than 1,000 miles to raise money for brain tumor research in memory of a friend.

After losing a close friend to an aggressive form of leukemia, acute myeloid leukemia (AML), Kris Wood, PhD, associate professor of pharmacology and cancer biology, devoted his research to helping find better treatment options for people with leukemias and lymphomas.

As it opens new spaces, the Duke Aging Center reaffirms its commitment to Duke’s values

Rebecca Hatcher Buckley, MD, James Buren Sidbury Distinguished Professor of Pediatrics in the School of Medicine in the Division of Allergy and Immunology, recently announced her retirement after 64 years of service at Duke University.

One of the most powerful moments Phil Lister, MD’79, had in medical school came during a lecture by Adhemar "Jim" Renuart, BS’52, MD’56, HS’57. Renuart shared with the students the challenges he experienced as both a doctor and a father to a child with medical issues.