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National Institutes of Health Executive Griffin P. Rodgers, MD, MBA, MACP Elected Secretary/Treasurer of the American Board of Internal Medicine Board of Directors

Philadelphia, PA, July 1, 2008 – Griffin P. Rodgers, MD, MBA, MACP, Director of the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and Chief, Molecular and Clinical Hematology Branch of the National Institutes of Health, has been elected to a two-year term as Secretary/Treasurer on the Executive Committee of the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Board of Directors. ABIM sets the standards and certifies physicians practicing in internal medicine and its subspecialties who possess the knowledge, skills and attitudes required to provide high quality care.

The Board of Directors, composed of physicians who are board certified in internal medicine and one of its subspecialties, guides ABIM's overall mission and direction as it works to improve health care quality. The Executive Committee interprets Board policy and provides high level guidance to staff on issues of strategic importance. All ABIM Directors participate in ABIM's Maintenance of Certification program, which promotes ongoing learning and in which doctors demonstrate their commitment to the Board's standards.

"Griff is internationally recognized for his scientific contributions in the area of genetic blood diseases and for his leadership at NIH, the world's premier research organization. This combination of expertise and experience will contribute in many ways to the working of the Board and the Executive Committee," said Christine K. Cassel, MD, ABIM’s president and CEO.

Dr. Rodgers, a hematologist, renewed his certification in 2005. ABIM has issued more than 7,000 certificates in Hematology.

"I am honored to be elected as Secretary/Treasurer of the Board, and it's a privilege to serve with a group of people who share my dedication to health care quality," said Dr. Rodgers.

Dr. Rodgers is recognized worldwide for his contributions to the development of effective therapy for sickle cell anemia and other genetic diseases of hemoglobin. In June 2000, he received an Arthur S. Flemming Award for his work on sickle cell anemia and for discoveries related to other blood disorders. Additional awards include the 1999 Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Foundation Award of the American College of Physicians, the 1998 Meritorious Achievement Award of the National Medical Association, and the 1997 Physician-Researcher and 1995 Hildrus A. Poindexter awards of the U.S. Public Health Service.

Dr. Rodgers has served on many NIH committees, including the Board of Tutors for the Clinical Research Training Program, the Board of Governors of NIH's Clinical Center, and the NIH Management and Budget Working Group. Dr. Rodgers has been an invited professor at medical schools and hospitals around the globe. He has published more than 150 original research articles, numerous reviews, book chapters, books and monographs, and is a member of the editorial board of several scientific journals.

He received his medical degree from Brown University, and an MBA from Johns Hopkins with a focus on the business of medicine. He is board certified in internal medicine, emergency medicine and hematology.

About ABIM
For more than 75 years, certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) has stood for the highest standard in internal medicine and its 19 subspecialties and has meant that internists have demonstrated – to their peers and to the public – that they have the clinical judgment, skills and attitudes essential for the delivery of excellent patient care. ABIM is not a membership society, but a non-profit, independent evaluation organization. Our accountability is both to the profession of medicine and to the public. ABIM is a member of the American Board of Medical Specialties. For additional updates, follow ABIM on Facebook and Twitter.