NASW member Karen Bullock, the Louise McMahon Ahearn Endowed Professor in the Boston College School of Social Work and an acclaimed researcher in health-related equity and inclusion issues, has won a major professional honor named for her one-time mentor.
An article posted at Boston College News says the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine selected Bullock for the Richard Payne Outstanding Achievement in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award.
AAHPM is the professional organization for physicians specializing in hospice and palliative medicine, nurses, and other health care providers. It offers the award in recognition of “strong, lasting, personal and professional commitment to improving care for diverse, vulnerable and underrepresented patient populations.”
Bullock also chairs the NASW National Committee on Racial and Ethnic Diversity (NCORED).
Given that the AAHPM membership is largely made up of physicians—Bullock was nominated for the award by an oncologist—her selection was an indication of how highly her work is viewed across fields and disciplines.
The award’s namesake—a foremost expert on pain management and palliative care who helped establish clinical guidelines for pain management in cancer patients—was Bullock’s former colleague and collaborator.
“Richard Payne (who died in 2019) taught me the importance of being steadfast,” Bullock said. “He was interdisciplinary in his approach, and getting to know and work with him was critical to my interest in bringing a social work perspective to studying health disparities. His is a legacy that I and many others seek to carry on.”