Philadelphia, Pa., December 11, 2005
– Claudia R. Baquet, MD, MPH, received the 2005 Rall Award for Advocacy in Public Health today for her efforts to resolve health disparities in Maryland and nationwide. Baquet is an associate dean and professor at the University of Maryland School of Medicine in Baltimore, Md.
Baquet is considered a leading national expert on cancer in minority and low-income populations, and her special interests include health care access for medically under-served communities, women’s health research and policy, community academic research partnerships and culturally competent health care delivery strategies. During her 10 years at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baquet has successfully garnered state and federal funding to launch numerous, innovative programs that expand health care resources to under-served populations throughout Maryland.
In 1999, Baquet seized the opportunity of the landmark Tobacco Settlement to address the prevention, early detection, screening and treatment of various types of cancers and other tobacco-related diseases. Her advocacy efforts led to the state legislature’s passage of a law establishing the University of Maryland Statewide Health Network and Other Tobacco-Related Diseases Research Grant. She also is director of the University of Maryland Statewide Health Network, which provides support for a range of cancer and tobacco-related disease prevention and control activities, as well as promotion of increased participation in clinical trials for rural and urban under-served communities.
She is the director of the Comprehensive Center for Health Disparities Research, Outreach and Training at the University of Maryland School of Medicine as well as principal investigator for the Maryland Special Populations Cancer Research Network. Her advocacy has led to the passage of numerous state laws, including those providing access and coverage for mammography and clinical breast exams and breast cancer treatment for low-income women and the establishment of a Task Force on the Prevention and Elimination of Cervical Cancer.
Among Baquet’s many honors, she received a Maryland’s Top 200 Women Award, a Woman of Achievement Award, a Black Living Legends Award, a Governor’s Citation for reduction of the Maryland infant mortality rate, a Maryland Senate Commendation for her contributions to reduce cancer disparities in Maryland’s under-served population and a Distinguished Service Award from the Western Maryland Area Health Education Center.