The Dedication of the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education Dean of the Feinberg School of Medicine, J. Larry Jameson, MD, PhD, gathered with Raymond Curry, MD, Dean for Education, faculty, and staff to formally dedicate the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education on September 26. The newly renovated space is located in the historic Ward Building on Northwestern University’s Chicago campus. “Throughout our history, Northwestern University’s medical school has championed groundbreaking educational reform. Through this dedicated office and the future Augusta Webster, MD, Institute for the Advancement of Medical Education, Northwestern will once again lead the way as an agent for reform and innovation in 21st century medical education,” said Dr. Jameson.  As the foundational piece of the future Institute, the Office is devoted to improving medical education to foster innovations in patient safety and patient-centered care.
A fitting honoree for this groundbreaking effort, Dr. Augusta Webster was the first woman to be named as full professor at Northwestern’s Medical School and the first woman in the country to head a department at a major teaching hospital—the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department at Cook County Hospital, where she practiced medicine for more than 40 years. Dr. Webster received three degrees from Northwestern University, two bachelor’s degrees (in Biological Sciences and Medicine) and ultimately, a doctorate of medicine in 1934, one of only four women in her class of 120. In 1991, an anonymous donor created the Augusta Webster Faculty Fellowships in Medical Education in her honor, with the intent of fostering the career development of innovative medical educators. This year, a generous gift from the Excelsior Foundation through Barbara Olin Taylor, PhD, and Mr. F. Morgan Taylor enabled the Feinberg School of Medicine to create the Augusta Webster, MD, Office of Medical Education. Dr. Olin Taylor is an alumna of Northwestern University. She and her husband are ardent advocates for patient-centered care and patient safety. Photo Credit: Nathan Mandell |
