Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance

Meharry-Vanderbilt Alliance (MVA, 1999-present). The Alliance was created in 1999 by a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the then President Maupin of Meharry Medical College (MMC) and the then Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs, Dr. Jacobson at Vanderbilt U Medical Center (VUMC). The strategic partnership continues to be supported by the current leaders at MMC and VUMC, President & CEO, Dr. A. Cherrie Epps and Vice Chancellor of Health Affairs, Dr. Jeff Balser, respectively. The MVA administrative offices are located on Meharry’s campus. Dr. Consuelo H. Wilkins is Executive Director of the MVA, a post previously held by Dr. Clifton Meador. The MVA facilitates collaborative working relationships between clinicians, researchers and students on both campuses, and community stakeholders, thereby enhancing the range and diversity of healthcare delivery services, research endeavors and educational opportunities that each institution is able to provide. In practical terms, this effort has opened libraries and research cores to users on both campuses, courses and clerkships to students, and resulted in multiple joint research and research training activities.

The mission of the Alliance is to build a bridge across institutions to advance clinical and community-engaged collaboration, education and research.