Featured Voices on Black History Month

Black History Month offers everyone an opportunity to reflect on the Black experience as part and parcel of American history. It is an opportunity to celebrate what African Americans have accomplished but also to pause and to acknowledge the work that is yet to be done.

We spoke with several Black CUIMC faculty members and asked them what Black History Month means to them.

Michelle W. Bell, MD

Michelle W. Bell, MD, is assistant professor of neurology in the Division of Epilepsy and Sleep at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. Bell serves as the director of the adult neurology residency program and in 2021 she received the Richard Mayeux Award for her contributions to the clinical, research, and/or educational missions of the Department of Neurology.

Patient care and the training of young neurologists are Bell’s top priorities. “The opportunity to be a lifelong student is a great privilege. My mission as a faculty member and as an educator is to nurture a sense of intellectual adventure in every member of our academic community.”

What drew Bell to neurology? “The complexity of the nervous system and the bravery of the patients.” And perhaps something inexplicable, too. “When I talk to prospective doctors, I advise them to expose themselves to a variety of clinical settings and specialties. And if they want, they can analyze the pros and cons. But in the end, choosing a specialty is like falling in love.”

Bell takes an expansive view of the significance of Black History Month. “To me, Black History Month is about hope. Hope that in my lifetime and that of my children, we as a human race will make further progress towards inclusivity and justice for all.” [watch video] [read more] 

Source: CUIMC Newsroom