2021 marks two significant milestones for Health & Medicine Policy Research Group. Health & Medicine was founded 40 years ago on July 23, 1981. That’s when 15 scrappy health advocates came together with the lofty goals of creating policy and systems that would improve the health of all Illinoisans by addressing past and present systemic injustice. Here we are, 40 years later, with so many successes and so many obstacles still in front of us. We remain steadfast in this journey and are grateful to the thousands who have linked arms with us throughout this journey.

2021 also marks the 25th anniversary of the Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program at Health & Medicine. With nearly 700 remarkable Fellows having traveled through this program, we are proud to have contributed to developing these emerging health care providers into advocates for health equity and social justice. At the same time, the community-based experiences of the Fellows continue to inform the policy and systems work of Health & Medicine.

Our work is collaborative in nature and each of you has played an important role in helping shape who we are and what we have been able to accomplish. Here’s to an incredible first 40 years! We can’t wait to see what the future holds.

We hope you will join us in celebrating these most significant milestones. Be on the lookout for invites to special events this year showcasing both our Chicago Area Schweitzer Fellows Program and Health & Medicine.

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