January 15, 1999

Conway-Welch also member of Institute of Medicine

Colleen Conway-Welch, Ph.D., Dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Nursing, is also a member of the prestigious Institute of Medicine.

Her name was omitted from a list of institute members that appeared in last week's issue of the VUMC Reporter.

With her election in 1997, Conway Welch became the fourth member of the VUMC faculty to be inducted into the institute. Election to the Institute of Medicine is granted to only approximately 20 researchers per year and is based on service to the medical community. The institute counts only approximately 550 active members and 580 senior members worldwide.

Conway-Welch holds a bachelor's degree from Georgetown University, a master's degree from Catholic University and a Ph.D. in nursing from New York University. She is a nurse-midwife and has served on numerous national councils, including President Reagan's commission on AIDS.

Last year she was appointed to the National Bipartisan Commission on Medicare. The 17-member commission is made up of 10 members of the Senate and the House of Representatives, as well as seven leaders in the health care community. Conway-Welch is the only nurse on the commission.

The federal commission was formed to recommend ways of preserving Medicare for 76 million baby-boomers.