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Yvonnecris Veal

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Yvonnecris Smith Veal (born 1936) is an American physician known for her leadership and advocacy for African-American women physicians. She was the first woman leader of the National Medical Association Board of Trustees and one of the first African-American students at the Medical College of Virginia.[1]

Early life and education

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Born Yvonnecris Smith in Ahoskie, North Carolina, she had ten siblings including the Tuskegee airmen, Graham and Reginald.[2] She attended Hampton University (then Institute) for her undergraduate education, graduating in 1957. She then attended the Medical College of Virginia, becoming its fifth African-American student; black students were not allowed to attend the white students' graduation ceremony. This affront prompted Veal[1] to become an activist for African-Americans in medicine throughout her career and to join the National Medical Association immediately after graduation. Despite discrimination, she graduated in 1962 and moved to Brooklyn, New York City, to become a resident in pediatrics at the Kings County Hospital Center.[1]

Career

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Veal began her career as a private practice physician in New York City. She began to take on leadership roles in various community health centers during the 1970s.[1] In 1984, she became an occupational physician when she began to work for the United States Postal Service, the organization where she would stay for the remainder of her career. In 1993, Veal was promoted to Senior Medical Director and was still in this role when the 2001 anthrax attacks threatened postal service employees. She was commended for her role in maintaining workers' health throughout the incident.[1]

Honors and awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Changing the Face of Medicine | Dr. Yvonnecris Smith Veal". www.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved March 19, 2016.
  2. ^ Travis Mitchell (1994), "House Calls", Black Professional: 20–23
  3. ^ a b Lucero, Erin (February 3, 2021). "Earned under pressure, medical degree opened doors for one of the medical school's first African American graduates". Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine. Retrieved March 24, 2021.