The medical accuracy editor of The St. Louis American, Consuelo Hopkins Wilkins, M.D., whose work has touched countless people in this community, is leaving St. Louis.
She is leaving her position as associate professor at Washington University School of Medicine and director of the Center for Community Health and Partnerships to become the new executive director of the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance in Nashville, Tennessee.
“What I am going to miss most in St. Louis is the people,” Dr. Wilkins said.
Wilkins came to St. Louis 12 years ago. She completed her residency in internal medicine at Duke University and accepted a fellowship in Geriatric Medicine at Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University School of Medicine.
“As smart as I thought I was and as much as I thought I knew, I really didn’t get to learn about people and patients and taking care of people until after I was actually done with all of my training,” she said.
“A lot of what I’ve learned, I’ve learned from patients, I’ve learned from their families. They really taught me so much. That continued education has been through the people of St. Louis.”
Wilkins said learning that there were so many St. Louisans who are dedicated to making St. Louis a healthier place made it easy for her to stay so long.
“It was easy to stay given the interest and opportunity to pursue my academic interest as well as to be involved in a lot of the activities of the community that were focused on community health and wellness and educating the community,” Wilkins said.
Larry J. Shapiro, M.D., executive vice chancellor for medical affairs and dean of Washington University School of Medicine, said Wilkins has been as asset to both the university and the community.
“It was with her foresight that the Center for Community Health and Partnerships was established,” Shapiro said.
The center seeks to pair the university with local organizations to jointly address community-identified health and wellness priorities and to disseminate culturally relevant health information to reduce health disparities.
“Consuelo’s leadership has been key to establishing collaborative relationships with community organizations and to improving the relevance and impact of research,” Shapiro said.
Edward Lawlor, Ph.D., dean of the Brown School at Washington University, agreed.
“Consuelo Wilkins has done an extraordinary job of developing a plan to build and sustain community-academic partnerships to address the health needs of the St. Louis community,” Lawlor said.
“Her energy, vision, and leadership will have a lasting impact on the center and the Institute for Public Health, which remain committed to working collaboratively with the community to improve the health of St. Louis residents.”
Robert Freund, chief executive officer of the St. Louis Regional Health Commission, described the same impact.
“Dr. Wilkins has made a considerable difference in our community, especially in deepening St. Louis’ understanding of the power and importance of developing equal and mutually beneficial partnerships between medical researchers and the people in the communities in which they live, work, teach, and study,” he said.
Community commitments
Her leadership extended to community and professional organizations. Wilkins served on the executive council of the Mound City Medical Forum. In 2006, under her leadership, Mound City received the National Medical Association’s outstanding chapter of the year award.
“I am deeply saddened by the loss of such a tremendous talent,” Mound City member and SLUCARE physician Denise Hooks-Anderson, M.D., said of Wilkins’ move. “Not only has she been a marvelous colleague, she has been a phenomenal friend.”
She is known for her way with patients – and colleagues.
“She kind of leads you into where she’s at and what she’s thinking,” said Rosetta Keeton, community relations and volunteer manager at St. Louis ConnectCare. “That is one of her talents – making you feel like what you think and feel matters.”
Her community commitments were many and varied. Wilkins chairs the Affordable Housing Commission in St. Louis and serves on the boards for the Wyman Center, Saint Louis Zoo and the United Way of Greater St. Louis, where she serves in the Women’s Leadership and African American Leadership cabinets.
‘Sort of a dream’
As medical accuracy editor for The St. Louis American, Wilkins kept a loyal readership of 200,000 engaged on community health issues.
“The American has really been such a life-changing experience. It changed the way I think about so many things,” Wilkins said.
“Just the feedback that I received from so many people who I’ve never met before – some of them who I’ve never seen before who are kind enough to send me a note. That’s sort of a dream for people doing health care who want to change people’s lives in a positive way.”
Her colleague Will Ross, M.D., associate dean for diversity, assistant professor of medicine, and a senior fellow at the Center for Health Policy at Washington University, watched her progress at the paper.
“Consuelo started working with The American shortly after she came here,” said Ross M.D., who formerly served as health editor for The American.
“She essentially elevated that medium by writing a number of really personal editorials about how to empower communities and individuals to be more health-conscious.”
Donald M. Suggs, publisher and executive editor of The St. Louis American, feels the loss of her leaving professionally and personally.
“Dr. Wilkins’ departure from St. Louis is a great loss for her patients, the community, The St. Louis American and me and my family personally,” Suggs said.
“Brilliant, accomplished and tireless, she is also a caring person who was inspirational and beloved to all who knew her well. Although she was highly successful in a high-level academic environment, she was always modest and unassuming in her personal demeanor.”
Ross sees a personal source in her caring commitment.
“It comes from having this personal connection with the community throughout maturation – she’s one who loves and respects the community because they are tied to her roots,” said Ross.
“She knows where she was born [Mississippi], and she recalls some of the inequities in her own community and she was resolute in addressing those inequities.”
Her resolution moved Washington University forward, Ross said.
“She proved to be able to go out a lot further than some people can see at the medical school,” Ross said.
‘A very attractive opportunity’
The opportunity for greater community engagement with major support made the Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance too promising to pass up.
In Nashville, Wilkins will lead the transition of the alliance to a primarily research-focused program and will manage a $1.5 million budget. She will assist both institutions in identifying and recruiting new faculty as well as assisting current faculty in research development.
Wilkins said, “It was a very attractive opportunity, not just because of the institutions, but because I would have the ability to affect the program as it developed from the beginning.”
She will be equipped with a substantial commitment of both time and resources from Meharry and Vanderbilt.
“As I went through the interview process it was clear to me that both institutions value both the alliance and their relationships to each other, but also they valued this new vision to be more involved with community-engaged research,” she said.
Wilkins will also continue her research aimed at identifying and addressing risk factors for cognitive impairment in older adults.
Wilkins will have offices and faculty appointments on both campuses. At Vanderbilt, she will serve as associate professor of medicine in the Institute for Medicine and Public Health. At Meharry, Wilkins will serve as an associate professor of medicine in the Medical College.
‘An equally painful loss’
The Wilkins family that will move to Nashville includes her husband, family practice physician Kenneth Wilkins, M.D., a daughter, Alese Wilkins, and a son, Kenneth “Trey” Wilkins.
Dr. Kenneth Wilkins has been a staple at Myrtle Hilliard Davis Comprehensive Health Centers.
“He’s been that center, that anchor, giving them a sense of security and comfort,” Ross said. “That’s an equally painful loss.”
Wilkins will take the breadth of her experience and success in community engaged research to her new role on June 1.
“While she will be greatly missed, we wish her all the best in the next chapter in what has already been an illustrious career,” Suggs said.
Freund said, “While she will be deeply missed here, we all wish her great success in Nashville, and remain hopeful that her legacy will continue to flourish in our universities and our community in the years to come.”
An advisory committee of community and university representatives will assist in identifying a new director to build upon the foundation created by Dr. Wilkins.
Shapiro said, “We remain committed to the program she established here and especially to continuing the dialogue and planning with community representatives.”
