Dr. Ross-Lee becomes 1st black woman to lead a U.S. medical school - Barbara Ross-Lee named dean of Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

Jet, Nov 8, 1993

Dr. Barbara Ross-Lee, the first Black woman to lead a predominantly White medical school, says she hopes her new position Will inspire more Blacks to enter the field of medicine.

Ross-Lee, 51, recently was named dean of the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine in Athens, Ohio.

She was surprised to learn that she is the first Black woman to head a U.S. medical school.

"Actually it came as a surprise to me," she recently told Jet in a telephone interview. "I probably like the rest of the country, was a little surprised that again, Blacks are still being designated as firsts in an area. You would think we are almost in the 21st century but we are still talking about the first Black to do this," she noted.

She stressed, "I am only hoping that this breaking of a barrier will just turn into a tide and well see a lot more Black females achieving in medical academics."

A 1973 graduate of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing, Mich., she recently served as the school's associate dean for health policy and professor of family medicine. She also was the chairwoman of the school's Department of Family Medicine. Prior to that she was in private practice for 10 years. She holds a bachelor's degree from Wayne State University. Dr. Ross-Lee is married and has five children.

She also hopes to educate the general public about osteopathic medicine.

"Osteopathic medicine produces physicians who practice medicine in addition to focusing on primary care which means family practice and general internal medicine, and general pediatrics. It also trains us to use our hands to diagnose illness as well as to treat muscular skeletal problems.

We are aggressively pursuing and encouraging minorities, particularly Blacks to choose osteopathic medicine," she added.

Many professional sports team physicians, Olympic physicians and personal sports medicine physicians are osteopathic physicians.

The new dean comes from a family of super achievers, her sister is superstar Diana Ross.