ABOUT: Overview
Dr. Maurice Rabb, Jr. and Dr. Howard Philip Venable combated the inequities of their time by excelling as a form of protest. Rabb-Venable participants strive for that same excellence in their academic and professional careers.
Founding of the Rabb-Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Program
The Rabb-Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Award for Outstanding Research is an integral part of the National Medical Association – Ophthalmology Section’s academic mission. In 2000, the association held the first Rabb-Venable competition in Washington, D.C., during its annual convention.
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Since then, Rabb-Venable has broadened in scope. The program has expanded participation to include African American, Latinx, and Native American, Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander medical students, residents, and fellows in ophthalmology. It has also launched career development opportunities to complement the original scholarship competition and enhance offerings to alumni.
As the oldest and largest organization representing African American physicians and healthcare professionals in the United States, the National Medical Association (NMA) seeks to provide health parity for all Americans. In achieving this goal, the NMA focuses on health issues related to minority populations, the disadvantaged, and the medically underserved.
The Rabb-Venable Excellence in Ophthalmology Program is supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Eye Institute (NEI). The NIH, NEI, and NMA are committed to equal opportunity and diversity, and do not discriminate on the grounds of race, sex, age, religion, or disability.
