Philadelphia, PA, July 1, 2010 – Olufunmilayo F. Olopade, MBBS, the Walter L. Palmer Distinguished Service Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean of Global Health at the University of Chicago, has been elected to the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Board of Directors. ABIM sets the standards and certifies physicians practicing in internal medicine and its subspecialties who possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide high quality care.
The Board of Directors, composed of physicians who are board certified in internal medicine or one of its subspecialties, guides ABIM's overall mission and direction as it works to improve health care quality. All ABIM Directors participate in ABIM's Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. MOC recognizes that what was standard treatment a decade ago may have changed and that the public needs a process to know if their physicians have kept up-to-date in their field. Dr. Olopade is board certified in internal medicine, medical oncology and hematology.
“Olufunmilayo has spent her career changing the way we think about breast cancer and translating creative problem-solving into new treatment for this disease. She is enmeshed in cancer treatment at every level, from her teaching to her research to bringing the results of that research to her patients. Her depth of knowledge and her ability to tackle big problems in innovative ways will be of the utmost value to ABIM,” said Christine K. Cassel, MD, ABIM's President and CEO.
Dr. Olopade, whose research focuses on the genetic causes of breast cancer, was instrumental in creating the Center for Clinical Cancer Genetics at the University of Chicago. Dr. Olopade is a professor in the Departments of Medicine and of Human Genetics at the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine. She is also a practicing clinician and Director of the University's Cancer Risk Clinic. She is a leader in numerous professional organizations and has served as Chair of the American Society of Clinical Oncology Cancer Genetics Education Task Force.
Dr. Olopade, whose research puts her in the forefront of translational medicine, was elected to the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine in 2008. She is a frequent lecturer in the U.S. and abroad and has been honored numerous times for her contributions to medicine, perhaps most notably with a MacArthur Fellowship “Genius” Award and an honorary degree from Princeton University.
Dr. Olopade studied medicine in her native Nigeria, where she earned an MBBS with distinctions in Pathology and Pediatrics from the University of Ibadan (Nigeria). The MBBS – or Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery – is the medical degree awarded in countries that follow the traditions of Great Britain. After completing an internship in medicine, surgery, pediatrics and OB/GYN at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria, and serving as a medical officer at the Nigerian Navy Hospital in Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. Olopade completed her residency and chief residency at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. Following, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship in hematology and oncology at the University of Chicago.
ABIM Board Certified Doctors Make a Difference
Internists and subspecialists who earn and maintain board certification from the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) differentiate themselves every day through their specialized knowledge and commitment to continual learning in service of their patients. Established as an independent nonprofit more than 80 years ago, ABIM continues to be driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world. Visit ABIM's blog to learn more and follow ABIM on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties.