Lisa M. Meeks, Ph.D., MA, associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine and the Department of Learning Health Sciences at the University of Michigan, has received the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation’s Award for Excellence in Social Mission in the category ‘Individual Excellence’ for her work in ensuring equal access to Health Professions Education for individuals with disabilities, as well as her work in increasing health access to individuals with disabilities. Meeks is also the co-director of the Docs With Disabilities Initiative.
Meeks will receive official recognition at the Social Mission Alliance Conference in April. The conference is an interprofessional forum focused on advancing health equity and social justice through health professions education. The conference unites leaders in change to share new strategies and tools, identify and address challenges, and organize to advocate for meaningful change.
“I feel honored and grateful to receive the Macy Foundation Award for Excellence in Social Mission in Health Professions Education,” Meeks said. “I give tremendous credit and thanks to all of my colleagues at Michigan Medicine and the Docs With Disabilities Initiative who have collaborated with me as team members, mentors, sponsors, colleagues and friends. This award reflects everyone’s shared commitment to making health professions education more equitable, accessible, and inclusive.”
The award includes $2,500, which Meeks will donate to a student support fund that provides coverage for travel expenses, equipment, accommodations, and other needs for trainees with disabilities to participate in research through the Meeks Lab at U-M.
The purpose of the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Awards, which includes the Individual Excellence honor, is to recognize outstanding leadership in promoting the social mission of health professions education.
“Members of the Macy Awards selection committee were inspired by the work that Dr. Meeks is leading to address advancing the recruitment, admission, and retention of students with disabilities while simultaneously dismantling ableism in health professions education, said Claire Pomeroy, MD, MBA, president of the Lasker Foundation and chair of the awards sub-committee. “Her work ensures that we benefit from the perspectives and experiences of these individuals, creating more inclusive organizational cultures and raising awareness.”
"Her partnerships with Health Professions Associations, her engagement with health professions communities, and the DocsWithDisabilities podcast are standout achievements," said Toyese Oyeyemi, MPH, MCHES, executive director of the Social Mission Alliance. The DocsWithDisabilities podcast shares stories of clinicians with disabilities and reaches audiences in over 100 countries.
Meeks’ work has resulted in actionable, anti-ableist education and awareness that serve as catalyst for removing barriers to HPE. Her most fulfilling work focuses on mentoring and cultivating the next generation of disabled clinicians, researchers and leaders.
To read more about Meeks’ advocacy work, the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Award, and all winners within the five separate categories, click here.
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