Penn Nursing Professor Elected for Membership to the National Academy of Medicine

Newswise — PHILADELPHIA (October 16, 2017) – Therese S. Richmond, PhD, FAAN, CRNP, the Andrea B. Laporte Professor of Nursing and Associate Dean for Research & Innovation at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing), has been elected for membership to the National Academy of Medicine (NAM), formerly the Institute of Medicine.

Election to the Academy is considered one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine and recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service. New members are elected by current active members through a selective process that recognizes individuals who have made major contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care, and public health. This year, 70 regular members and 10 international members have been elected.

“These newly elected members represent the most exceptional scholars and leaders in science, medicine, and health in the US and around the globe,” said National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau. “Their expertise will help our organization address today’s most pressing health challenges and inform the future of health and health care to benefit us all. I am honored to welcome these distinguished individuals to the National Academy of Medicine.”

Established originally as the Institute of Medicine in 1970 by the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Medicine addresses critical issues in health, science, medicine, and related policy and inspires positive actions across sectors.  NAM works alongside the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering to provide independent, objective analysis and advice to the nation and conducts other activities to solve complex problems and inform public policy decisions.  The Academies also encourage education and research, recognize outstanding contributions to knowledge, and increase public understanding in matters of science, engineering, and medicine.  With their election, members make a commitment to volunteer their service in the Academies’ activities.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine are private, nonprofit institutions that operate under an 1863 congressional charter to the National Academy of Sciences, signed by President Lincoln.  For more information, visit http://national-academies.org.

 About Dr. Richmond

The prevention of injury and violence and improving outcomes of injury care are central to the discipline of nursing. Dr. Richmond conducts studies focusing on the interaction of physical injuries and their psychological consequences in order to reduce post-injury disability and improve recovery.  Her research focuses on vulnerable, marginalized and low-resource urban populations who bear a disproportionate burden of injury and violence.

Richmond is committed to working collaboratively across disciplines to address the complex social and health issues of injury and violence.  She serves on the Executive Committee of the Penn Injury Science Center which brings together university, community, and government partners to prevent injury and violence and improve outcomes when injuries happen. The center has a specific focus on vulnerable, low-resource urban populations and its interdisciplinary group of scientists promotes and performs research, provides training, and translates scientific discoveries into practice and policy. 

In her role as Associate Dean for Research and Innovation at the School, Richmond helps shape the research and innovation-focused environment that is Penn Nursing by working with faculty to set and implement strategic directions and facilitating systems to help faculty increase their scholarship and productivity. Richmond’s research involves all levels of students, including undergraduate research assistants who work with her research staff and doctoral and post-doctoral members of her research teams.

The National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute of Nursing Research, Centers for Disease Control and the Pennsylvania Department of Health have supported Richmond’s research. Richmond’s injury science work and scholarship has been honored with many awards, notably the Sigma Theta Tau International Episteme Award, the American Association of Critical Care Nursing/ GE Healthcare Pioneering Spirit Award, and the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching. She is also a member of the Federal Advisory Committee to the Secretary for National Health Promotion & Disease Prevention Objectives for 2030. Richmond received her PhD from the University of Pennsylvania; her Masters in Nursing Science from Catholic University of America; her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Delaware; and a diploma from the Thomas Jefferson University School of Nursing.

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Editor’s Note: A high-resolution head shot of Dr. Richmond is available for publication. Please contact Ed Federico.

About the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing

The University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is one of the world’s leading schools of nursing. For the second year in a row, it is ranked the #1 nursing school in the world by QS University, and has four graduate programs ranked number one by U.S. News & World Report, the most of any school in the United States. Penn Nursing is consistently among the nation’s top recipients of nursing research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Penn Nursing prepares nurse scientists and nurse leaders to meet the health needs of a global society through research, education, and practice. Follow Penn Nursing on: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube.