Closing Out Black History Month by Highlighting Dr. Darwin Conwell, MD, MSc, FACG
What defines a person as a part of Black History? Is it breaking barriers and forging new paths? Dedicating time to uplifting communities and loved ones? Or perhaps it’s creating opportunities and opening doors for others in spaces where diversity has been historically underrepresented. Dr. Darwin Conwell, MD, MSc, FACG, has accomplished all this and more, leaving a lasting impact and contributing to a legacy of progress and excellence.
Dr. Conwell was born in Louisiana during the Civil Rights Era. His family moved to southern Ohio shortly after, right along the Kentucky border. Years later in this same area, Dr. Conwell would go on to become a leading gastroenterologist in his field. He served as the Director of Gastroenterology at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center for a decade before becoming the Chair of Medicine at the University of Kentucky. With several hundred scientific publications and thousands of citations to his name, Dr. Conwell has distinguished himself as a thought leader and pioneer in his field. His impact has been recognized by a Lifetime Achievement Award from the APA and a Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach, Prevention, and Year-Round Excellence (SCOPY) Award from the ACG. Beyond this he demonstrates his commitment to advocacy by serving as the chair of the National Pancreas Foundation African American Initiative. This work ensures the disproportionate number of Black individuals who suffer from pancreatic diseases are recognized and cared for.
As a Black man in medicine – a demographic that makes up only about 3% of medical doctors – Dr. Conwell inherently understands what it’s like to be the minority in an underrepresented field. This experience drives him to uplift others in the medical minority community. His collaboration with ChiRhoClin in our orphan drug research exemplifies this commitment to advancing healthcare solutions for all, not just those deemed profitable.
Beyond this academic work, Dr. Conwell is a dedicated mentor for young people interested in STEM. Once a young southern Black man with a passion for science himself, Dr. Conwell knows the profound impact it has on young people to see representation in these careers. Year after year he continues to inspire the next generation of scientists and physicians. But it’s not just the future generations that Dr. Conwell supports. Through organizing and volunteering at outreach programs for underserved people in our country, he provides crucial knowledge and resources to those who have been neglected by our healthcare system. This country has a long history of looking the other way when minorities need medical attention. Dr. Conwell’s direct actions are helping rebuild that broken trust, ensuring underserved communities have access to quality care.
With all these accomplishments, you’d think Dr. Conwell works nonstop with little time for anything beyond his dedicated work. Luckily for Dr. Conwell’s loved ones, he continues to remain deeply devoted to his personal life. He still manages to prioritize time for his 3 children and 6 grandchildren, enjoying weekly date nights with his wife, and participating in multiple 5ks a year – always sporting his University of Kentucky hat while running of course.
So, whether it’s pioneering new pathways, devoting time to your community and loved ones, or creating a seat at the table for minorities, Dr. Conwell has done it all – and excelled. All in the name of advancing not only Black individuals in STEM but in advancing the entire community around him. Living in the south during the Civil Rights Era was surely challenging. And living in the south now presents a renewed version of these same challenges. But Dr. Conwell’s journey is the dreams that were fought for – and continue to be fought for – realized. Taking lessons from the past and applying them to build a brighter future for generations to come, Dr. Conwell is, without question, Living Black History.