Steve Beard, CEO of Adtalem Global Education, is highlighted in a recent piece by Matt Fuchs for TIME, recognizing his significant efforts in diversifying medicine and integrating technology into healthcare education. Beard’s leadership at institutions like Chamberlain University, Walden University, and Ross University School of Medicine is driven by the belief that diverse healthcare is better healthcare.
Diversifying the Healthcare Workforce
Under Beard’s guidance, Adtalem has made substantial progress in addressing shortages of healthcare workers while simultaneously increasing racial representation within the field. With over 90,000 students currently enrolled, Adtalem is a major contributor to the U.S. healthcare workforce, supplying doctors, nurses, veterinarians, and social workers. Notably, Adtalem’s medical schools are significant producers of Black physicians in the U.S. The success of their programs is further underscored by the fact that over the past year, 95% of its medical school graduates have successfully secured hospital residencies, helping to reinforce critical areas like primary care and serve underserved communities.
Embracing Technology and AI
Beard’s institutions are also at the forefront of technology adoption in healthcare education. In 2024, Adtalem forged a new partnership with Hippocratic AI, a leader in safety-focused generative AI agents for healthcare. This collaboration involves developing curricula to train nursing students-and soon physicians-on using AI tools for patient monitoring and improving follow-ups after treatment. Beard sees these innovations as crucial for alleviating administrative burdens, which can significantly improve the quality of life for healthcare professionals “on the hospital floor and at the bedside.”
A Model for the Future
Steve Beard’s journey from a first-generation college student to a changemaker in healthcare education is a powerful personal success story. Through Adtalem, his path serves as an inspiration for cultivating the next generation of diverse and technologically skilled healthcare professionals.
You can read the original article about Steve Beard in TIME here.