J. Gmerice Hammond, MD, MPH, to Receive 2021 ACC/ABC Merck Research Fellowship Award

WASHINGTON, April 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Association of Black Cardiologists (ABC) is pleased to announce that J. Gmerice Hammond, MD, MPH, a cardiology fellow at the Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) in St. Louis, has been chosen to receive one of three American College of Cardiology (ACC) / ABC Merck Research Fellowship Awards, intended to support the training and development of young cardiovascular investigators. Awardees will be recognized during the virtual ACC Convocation Ceremony on May 17 at the ACC's 70^th Annual Scientific Session.

This year to celebrate 40 years of partnership, the ACC and Merck joined forces with the ABC to offer three Research Fellowships in the amount of $100,000 each. The Merck Research Fellowship Awards are awarded to those who support research in adult cardiology and are currently in an adult cardiology fellowship training program. One award was exclusively granted to a physician who is a current member of the ABC, with preference given to an applicant focusing on disparities of cardiovascular care in the areas of gender, race, geographic, and economic inequalities.

Recipients are expected to pursue a full-time project in clinical research during their year of supported training. Dr. Hammond's research will focus on "The Impact of Bundled Payments for Care Improvement-Advanced (BPCI-A) on Racial Inequities in Heart Failure and Stroke."

As a cardiovascular research fellow, Dr. Hammond currently studies the impact of inequities in health care policy on vulnerable populations challenged by social determinants of health. She explores how health care policies, particularly value-based payment models positively or negatively influence how health care systems address the needs of socially high-risk populations. Dr. Hammond completed an internal medicine residency at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, followed by a preventive cardiology fellowship and an MPH degree in epidemiology at Columbia University, and then a general clinical and nuclear cardiology fellowship at WUSM.

About the Association of Black Cardiologists
Founded in 1974, the ABC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating the disparities related to cardiovascular disease and achieving health equity such that all people can live long healthy lives. Membership is open to all interested in the care of people with or at risk for cardiovascular disease, including health professionals, lay members of the community (Community Health Advocates), corporate and institutional members. Today, the ABC's public and private partnerships continue to increase its impact in communities across the nation. For more information, visit www.abcardio.org and connect with ABC on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

The American College of Cardiology envisions a world where innovation and knowledge optimize cardiovascular care and outcomes. As the professional home for the entire cardiovascular care team, the mission of the College and its 54,000 members is to transform cardiovascular care and to improve heart health. The ACC bestows credentials upon cardiovascular professionals who meet stringent qualifications and lead in the formation of health policy, standards, and guidelines. The College also provides professional medical education, disseminates cardiovascular research through its world-renowned JACC Journals, operates national registries to measure and improve care, and offers cardiovascular accreditation to hospitals and institutions. For more, visit acc.org.

Contact: 
ABC Media Relations
[email protected] 
646-689-0659

SOURCE Association of Black Cardiologists