L.D. Britt, MD, MPH is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a native of Suffolk, Virginia. After graduating as valedictorian from Booker T. Washington High School, Dr. Britt received a B.A. (with distinction) from the University of Virginia and was elected to the coveted Raven Society. Dr. Britt, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health, has had extensive surgical and critical care training. He has been granted honorary doctorates from three universities: Norfolk State University, Tuskegee University, and Howard University.

As the Henry Ford Professor and Edward J. Brickhouse Chairman of the Department of Surgery at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Dr. Britt is the first African American in the country to have an endowed chair in surgery. Dr. Britt actively studies how to increase the number of underrepresented minorities in academic surgery, as well as the health care disparities that exist in minority surgery patients. He is the author of approximately 230 peer-reviewed scientific publications. In addition, he has published more than 60 chapters/non-peer-reviewed articles.

Dr. Britt is the recipient of the nation’s highest teaching award in medicine, the Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teaching Award, which is given by the American Association of Medical Colleges in conjunction with the national medical honor society, Alpha Omega Alpha. Dr. Britt was also selected by the Association for Surgical Education to be the recipient of the 2004 Distinguished Educator Award, presented annually to one individual who has attained national prominence and demonstrated excellence as a master educator.

President George W. Bush recognized Dr. Britt’s leadership role in medicine and nominated him to the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, and he was subsequently confirmed by the United States Senate.