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Morehouse School of Medicine Faculty Member Dr. Priscilla Pemu is Elected to National Academy of Medicine

MSM Associate Dean for Clinical Research is among 100 newly elected NAM members, considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine.

ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 21, 2024 – Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is proud to announce that Priscilla Eyikojoka Pemu, MD, MS, FACP, FAHA, has been elected to the illustrious National Academy of Medicine (NAM). Dr. Pemu is a Professor of Clinical Medicine. She serves as Associate Dean for Clinical Research and Director of the MSM Clinical Research Center.

NAM indicated that Dr. Pemu was recognized for “pioneering work on clinical trial diversity, centering on the importance of regaining trust, fostering transparent collaboration and ensuring the equitable participation of diverse populations in medical research, from Grady Health System, a large public hospital, to primary care practices, historically Black churches and institutions.”

“Your election reflects the high esteem in which your peers and colleagues regard you,” the Academy told Dr. Pemu in a letter announcing her election. “As a NAM member, you are now part of a group of truly distinguished individuals who have made important contributions to health, medicine and science.”

In addition to her clinical research and faculty roles at Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Pemu is a practicing internal medicine physician. Her work has focused on improving care and health outcomes for patients with chronic diseases by empowering them to be effective consumers of health care. She is part of an MSM team that developed a system and method for chronic illness care that enables patients to change behaviors relevant to their health through improved knowledge, support for goal setting and accountability in sustaining behavior change.

Dr. Pemu is principal investigator of the Morehouse School of Medicine site for the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us research program. The MSM site has enrolled more than 5,500 full participants in the program, 95% of whom are African American, by applying the principles of culturally congruent communication. Dr. Pemu also leads the MSM Participant and Clinical Interactions Unit (PCI) of the Georgia Clinical and Translational Science Alliance (GA-CTSA). In that role, she is directly involved in ensuring quality and efficiency of clinical research studies through training of staff, review and prioritization of resources for clinical projects and review of data and safety monitoring reports as the chair of the Institutional Scientific Advisory Committee.

NAM elected 90 regular members and 10 international members during its 2024 annual meeting. The newly elected members bring NAM’s total membership to more than 2,400, which includes nearly 200 international members. Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.

New members are elected by current members through a process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. A diversity of talent among NAM’s membership is assured by its Articles of Organization, which stipulate that at least one-quarter of the membership is selected from fields outside the health professions — for example, from such fields as law, engineering, social sciences and the humanities.

Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors. NAM works alongside the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conduct other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge and increase public understanding of STEMM. With their election, NAM members make a commitment to volunteer their service in National Academies activities.

For more information about Morehouse School of Medicine, please visit MSM.edu.

About Morehouse School of Medicine

Founded in 1975, Morehouse School of Medicine (MSM) is among the nation’s leading educators of primary care physicians, biomedical scientists, and public health professionals. An independent and private historically-Black medical school, MSM was recognized by the Annals of Internal Medicine as the nation’s number one medical school in fulfilling a social mission — the creation and advancement of health equity to achieve health justice. MSM faculty and alumni are noted for excellence in teaching, research, and public policy, as well as exceptional patient care. MSM is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award doctoral and master’s degrees. To learn more about programs and donate today, please visit MSM.edu or call 404-752-1500.

Contact:

Jamille Bradfield
Director, External Communications, Media Relations
& Crisis Communications
Morehouse School of Medicine
jbradfield@msm.edu