Reed V. Tuckson, M.D.

Reed V. Tuckson, M.D. is President of the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, a private academic institution located in South Central Los Angeles. The University's mission embraces the concept of educating and preparing physicians and allied health professionals to serve traditionally underserved communities, and to develop new knowledge in service to the health of ethnically diverse populations. Drew University is one of only four African-American Health Science Centers and the only one located west of the Mississippi River. Included among Dr. Tuckson's scope of responsibilities are the supervision of the University's College of Medicine, College of Allied Health and a broad array of children's education programs that begin with Head Start, includes a Saturday Science Academy for elementary and junior high school students and concludes with an on campus Medical Magnet High School.

Prior to coming to Drew in 1991, Dr. Tuckson served as the Senior Vice President for Programs of the March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation. Earlier, his commitment to public service culminated in his tenure as the Commissioner of Public Health of the Distric of Columbia for four years.

Born in Washington, D.C., Dr. Tuckson was educated at Howard University, received his M.D. from Georgetown University, and trained as an Intern, Resident, and Fellow in General Internal Medicine at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. A Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholar of the University of Pennsylvania, he studied health care administration and policy at the Wharton School of Business.

He is currently President of the Association of Minority Health Professions Schools and an active member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science. His interests are reflected in his service on boards and committees such as Baxter International, Inc.; the Foundation for Health Services Research; The Health Care Forum; Catholic Charities USA; Research!America; the Black Community Crusade for Children; Children Now; and United Way of Greater Los Angeles. Dr. Tuckson has long been passionate about the need for health reform that provides comprehensive universal coverage for all Americans.