History

In the Beginning

NMF was founded in 1946, in Chicago, by Franklin McLean, MD, PhD, an eminent physician who saw, well before others, that the lack of opportunities for  Black physicians was a problem for our nation. He understood that we needed more minority physicians to achieve basic equality of opportunity, and to ensure access to quality health care. This was true in 1946, and it is true today.

NMF began by giving scholarships to Black physicians and medical students who otherwise could not have afforded a medical education. As broad social changes swept America, NMF expanded its commitment, giving scholarships more broadly. Despite the shifting political and cultural winds, NMF has committed itself to providing financial, professional, and communal support and opportunities for talented scholars and physician researchers  

Today, NMF works to address the growing physician shortage by broadening the pathways to medical education, providing leadership opportunities to ensure clinical research includes everyone, and delivering programs and supports to bolster the future success of medical students and current practitioners.   

Alumni Engagement

NMF alumni number more than 32,000 and are at the forefront of the fight to deliver excellent care to everyone. Understanding the incredible insight and lived experiences of NMF alumni, the organization has engaged in an intentional strategy to deepen its engagement with this cadre of health leaders. 

In 2011, NMF began connecting their alumni network through its first-ever alumni directory. Encouragement and a generous planning grant from Kaiser Permanente has enabled NMF to grow this work.

Today, led by our Alumni Alliance and Young Leaders Council, our alumni network mentors scholars and actively partners in our programs. Our alumni continue to be a voice for NMF in their own communities and throughout the U.S. 

NMF continues to launch new programs and expand special events to foster connections among NMF alumni and friends. NMF looks forward to a period of growth and creativity, drawing on generations of NMF alumni to support the future generations of health leaders committed to achieving better health outcomes for all.

Nmf History