Elders Inducted Into Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame

By Benjamin Waldrum

Elders, an emeritus professor of pediatrics and distinguished professor of public health for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), was appointed U.S. surgeon general by President Bill Clinton and served from 1993-1994. She was the first African-American, second woman and first Arkansan appointed to the post.

“If I could make any changes at all to the current health care system, I would start with education, education, education,” she said. “You can educate people that are not healthy, but you certainly can’t keep them healthy if they’re not educated.”

The ceremony was Aug. 25. Other members honored in 2016 were Kay Kelley Arnold, Dr. Bettye Caldwell, Cathy Cunningham, Dr. Betty Ann Lowe, Lottie Holt Shackelford, Patti Upton, Pat Walker, and the Religious Sisters of Mercy of the Americas. This is the second class inducted into the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame.

Elders, was inspired to become a doctor after attending a lecture by Edith Irby Jones, M.D., the first African-American to attend the University of Arkansas Medical School (now UAMS College of Medicine). At the induction ceremony, Elders spoke about the importance of making opportunities available today in medicine for young men and women who lack role models in their lives.

Before being appointed surgeon general, Elders served as director of the Arkansas Department of Health from 1987-1993. During her tenure she nearly doubled childhood immunization rates, expanded the state’s prenatal care program, and increased home-care options for the chronically and terminally ill.

Elders continues to advocate for access to health care as a fundamental right. Her work as a pediatric endocrinologist led to her advocacy for adolescent health and reducing rates of substance abuse and pregnancy among teenagers. She continues to be a champion for the poor and disadvantaged, challenging leaders to acknowledge the evidence that there are socio-economic benefits in healthy communities.

UAMS honored Elders with a portrait commissioned by the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health in 2015, and has since attracted more than $1 million in private support for the M. Joycelyn Elders, M.D., Chair in Health Promotion and Disease Prevention.

The goal of the Arkansas Women’s Hall of Fame is to honor women whose contributions have influenced the direction of Arkansas in their community or the state. The Hall of Fame inducts contemporary (living) or historical (deceased) women who have been born in the state or been a resident for an extended period and achieved prominence within the state or elsewhere. It is dedicated to preserving the history of accomplishments and recognizing women across the state of Arkansas.

UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and eight institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, Institute for Digital Health & Innovation and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,275 students, 890 medical residents and fellows, and five dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with more than 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.

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