Dr. George Alba announced as latest Harold Amos Scholar in pulmonary and critical care medicine
October 26, 2022
George Alba, MD, of Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard has been named the inaugural American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST)/American Thoracic Society/American Lung Association Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program Scholar.
“I am immensely grateful to the American College of Chest Physicians, the American Thoracic Society, and the American Lung Association for partnering with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to fund this initiative,” said Dr. Alba. “I started my junior faculty career as a physician-investigator in pulmonary and critical care medicine on the eve of a global viral respiratory pandemic that strained our community, laid bare long-standing inequities in medicine, and underscored the vital need to foster a diverse academic medical workforce.”
Lauded as an exceptional candidate by the Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program (AMFDP) Advisory Committee, Dr. Alba will officially become a scholar on July 1, 2023. He will receive $420,000 over four years to support his research.
“This award comes at a critical time for my career: it ensures I can continue my research on pulmonary vascular thrombosis while allowing me the flexibility to extend the work into acute respiratory distress syndrome,” said Dr. Alba. “I look forward to working on this project with my local mentors while receiving additional layers of mentorship and sponsorship from the distinguished members of the Harold Amos National Advisory Committee.”
“After reviewing an impressive group of candidates, Dr. Alba stood out as an outstanding applicant deserving of this scholarship,” said David Wilkes, MD, national director of the Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and a member of the American Thoracic Society and the American College of Chest Physicians. “I am looking forward to witnessing his growth over the next four years as he continues to augment our knowledge in pulmonary medicine. The future of lung disease research is in good hands.”
"We are extremely proud that our partners in respiratory medicine have joined with us to speak with a collective voice about the importance of diversity in our field and to invest in the AMFDP,” said ATS President, Gregory Downey, MD, ATSF. He added: “The field will most certainly benefit from Dr. Alba’s contributions in accelerating research while rising to the occasion as a role model for other junior researchers from historically-marginalized backgrounds.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how broadly population health could improve with more active discoveries in, and new understanding of, acute respiratory disease,” says David Schulman, MD, MPH, FCCP, president of the American College of Chest Physicians. “Projects like those being led by Dr. Alba will allow us to continue to advance respiratory medicine, while simultaneously improving diversity and inclusion within health care. This will not only lead to improved outcomes for our patients but will also improve the trust that the public has in the health care system.”
"It is critical to the advancement of lung health and the care of patients to have physicians and scientists from diverse backgrounds, so we are honored to provide support for Dr. Alba and increase diversity in pulmonary medicine,” said Harold Wimmer, president and CEO of the American Lung Association. “We welcome Dr. Alba to the American Lung Association Research Team and look forward to seeing how his research improves lung health for all Americans.”
Developed to increase the number of faculty from historically marginalized backgrounds pursuing careers in medicine, dentistry, or nursing, the AMFDP invites applicants to apply each year to help shape medicine into a more equitable, more accessible practice.
Interested in applying in 2023? Register here.
Read more about Dr. Alba's research in the October issue of CHEST Physician.
About the American College of Chest Physicians
The American College of Chest Physicians® (CHEST) is the global leader in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases. Its mission is to champion the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of chest diseases through education, communication, and research. It serves as an essential connection to clinical knowledge and resources for its 19,000+ members from around the world who provide patient care in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine. For information about the American College of Chest Physicians, visit chestnet.org.
About the American Lung Association
The American Lung Association is the leading organization working to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and
research. The work of the American Lung Association is focused on four strategic imperatives: to defeat lung cancer; to champion clean air for all; to improve the quality of life for those with lung disease and their families; and to create a tobacco-free future. For more information about the American Lung Association, a holder of the
coveted 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and a Gold-Level GuideStar Member, or to support the work it does, call 1-800-LUNGUSA (1-800-586-4872) or visit: Lung.org.
About the American Thoracic Society
Founded in 1905, the American Thoracic Society is the world's leading medical society dedicated to education, and advocacy. Core activities of the Society’s more than 16,000 members are focused on leading scientific discoveries, advancing professional development, impacting global health, and transforming patient care. Key areas of member focus include developing clinical practice guidelines, hosting the annual International Conference, publishing four peer-reviewed journals, advocating for improved respiratory health globally, and developing an array of patient education and career development resources. Learn more.
About the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) is the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health. RWJF works to help achieve health equity and expand opportunity to pursue the best health possible, through investments in four broad areas: health systems, healthy communities, healthy children and families, and health leadership. The AMFDP is one of its longest-term initiatives.