Vivian Pinn, MD: A Trailblazing Force in Medicine, Education, and Policy
Dr. Pinn details her personal journey in the newest oral history
As part of its mission to preserve and promote the legacy of exemplary women in medicine, the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation created the Alma Dea Morani Renaissance Women in Medicine Oral History Project — an accessible collection of recorded and transcribed interviews with past Alma Dea Morani Award winners.
The Foundation is pleased to announce the expansion of our collection with the addition of 2020 ADM Award winner Vivian Pinn, MD.
Over the course of five one-hour long conversations, Dr. Pinn shares candid stories of personal tragedy and setbacks, the challenges she encountered as a woman of color throughout her education and career, and the unexpected breakthroughs and relationships she developed along the way. The humor, heartbreak, and honesty found within her words transform an impressive resume into a rich tapestry of personal narrative that underscores Dr. Pinn’s true legacy: her deep sense of humanity and unfailing commitment to equality within all aspects of medicine.
Dr. Pinn’s oral history brings to life a trailblazing career of historic, boundary-breaking achievements for women and people of color within the healthcare and medical fields. As the first woman chair of a Pathology Department (Howard University), the second-ever woman President of the National Medical Association, and the inaugural Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, her tireless work ethic and dedication to enacting meaningful change has brought her to momentous heights and inspired generations of medical professionals.
Having witnessed and endured the injustices of segregation during her childhood in Virginia, as well as instances of sexism and racial prejudice throughout her education, Dr. Pinn considers her success a form of “quiet activism.” As a young woman, she experienced firsthand the harsh realities of healthcare inequality — especially for minorities — and the importance of advocacy when her mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Dr. Pinn learned to speak up for her mother and demand better treatment when her pain was ignored, a lesson she carried with her throughout her life. “I speak out often when others don't speak out, but I also get a lot done behind the scenes,” she said.
And yet, Dr. Pinn also attributes her unique professional path to the surprising opportunities that came her way through what could only be called divine timing. “My life has really been so strange,” she said, “because there are all of these interconnections, how I happened to be at the right place at the right time.”
These ‘interconnections’ often arose out of unexpected friendships with unlikely allies and supporters who believed in her when she did not fully believe in herself. Dr. Pinn’s oral history details an extraordinary network of mentors, colleagues, and peers — those who not only extended a helping hand in pivotal moments of Dr. Pinn’s life, but also fortified her belief in the possibility of community in the face of intense social and political strife.
Dr. Vivian Pinn has had a remarkable life and career, and these highlights only scratch the surface of the rich narrative that awaits in her oral history. Look for her oral history to be published this spring, and view a preview below.