Dear Colleagues:

It is my distinct pleasure to announce that Cedric Bright, MD ‘90, will become Assistant Dean for Admissions and Director of the Office of Special Programs effective July 1. Dr. Bright will be an Associate Professor in the Division of General Medicine in the Department of Medicine.

The Office of Special Programs is home to the Medical Education Development (MED) program, which is sponsored by the UNC Schools of Medicine and Dentistry and grant funding from the federal government. The program is designed to increase opportunities in the health professions for individuals who demonstrate educational promise and commitment to a health career but who have lacked the opportunity to move toward their professional goals. The program offers coursework and support services to undergraduate students who aspire to careers in medicine and dentistry. Over the last 30 years, the MED program has become a national model, inspiring many other similar programs. Over 1,500 MED alumni are practicing as physicians or dentists. Dr. Bright succeeds Larry Keith, who led the program from 1992 until he passed away in 2010.

The appointment of Dr. Bright, a graduate of the MED program himself, will enable us to build on our work to increase opportunities for minority and disadvantaged students to prepare for medical and dental school. We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Bright as a member of our faculty and of the university community and know that Larry Keith’s spirit and dedication to the MED program will carry on in Dr. Bright.

Dr. Bright has an impressive track record of leadership. He has served the people of North Carolina for many years and has in particular focused on increasing access to health care and reducing disparities in health care. He is a native of Winston-Salem, NC, and earned a BA in Semiotics at Brown University. He has been active in local, state and national health organizations, and he currently serves as the President of the Old North State Medical Society. In July, Dr. Bright will be installed as the 112th president of the National Medical Association.

Dr. Bright comes to us from Duke University Medical Center. Please join me in welcoming Cedric Bright back to the UNC community.

Bill Roper
CEO, UNC Health Care
Dean, UNC School of Medicine