Carolyn Barley Britton

Carolyn Barley Britton
Born	September 13, 1944 Alabama
Nationality	American
Alma mater	Oberlin College New York University Grossman School of Medicine
Known for	1st neurologist president of the National Medical Association
Awards	W. Montague Cobb Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Medical Association Teacher of the Year, Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons Distinguished Service Award, Nassau University
Scientific career
Fields	Neurology, Neuroinfectious disease, HIV

Carolyn Barley Britton (born 13 September 1944) is an African-American medical doctor known for her national health care advocacy and work in neurological complications of HIV and infectious diseases. She is a full professor at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons. She was the 9th female president and the 1st neurologist president of the National Medical Association.^[1]

Early life and education

Britton grew up in Huntsville, Alabama. She did her undergraduate study at Oberlin College, then went to New York University Grossman School of Medicine, graduating in 1975. She did her internship at Harlem Hospital in New York, and then completed neurology residency at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons, where she also completed a research fellowship in neuroinfectious disease.^[2]

Career

Britton took a position at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons. In the 1980s, during the early days of the HIV epidemic, Britton studied the effects of HIV infection and AIDS on the nervous system, publishing on neurological complications in 1984,^[3] and considered a national expert by 1985.^[4] She continued to work with these vulnerable patients, published on HIV-related neuropathy^[5] and neurological infections secondary to immunocompromise,^[6] and arguing for universal counseling and voluntary testing of women for HIV.^[7]

Britton also publishes on neurological complications of Lyme disease, and on progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, an infectious process that occurs in the setting of immunodeficiency.

Presidency of the National Medical Association

Britton was active for many years in the National Medical Association (NMA) and took on the role of president of the NMA in 2008, at the 106th Annual NMA Convention and Scientific Assembly in Atlanta.^[8] She was the 9th female and the 1st neurologist president of the organization. As president, she worked towards universal access to health care and the elimination of racial disparities in research.^[9]

Neurologist for Mike Tyson

In 1988, boxer Mike Tyson injured his head in an automobile accident. Britton cared for him at that time, and due to ongoing symptoms after his concussion, recommended he avoid sparring for 30–60 days.^[10]

Honors, societies, and awards

• President, National Medical Association
• W. Montague Cobb Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Medical Association, 2019
• Inaugural Chair of the Scientific Section on Neurological Disorders in Women, American Academy of Neurology
• Interviewed at the American Academy of Neurology in 2024 as a Black Pioneer in Neurology
• Interviewed by Terrell D. Frazier for the Obama Presidency Oral History project https://obamaoralhistory.columbia.edu/interviews/c-920?topic=native-america
• Member of the Clinical Applications, Prevention and Treatment Subcommittee of the AIDS Research Committee, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
• American Legacy Magazine's Multicultural Health Award, 2007
• Distinguished Service Awards from Manhattan Central Medical Society, Empire State Medical Association, Nassau University and Region I NMA

References

1. Nielsen, N; Britton, C (June 2009). "The presidents Drs. Carolyn Britton, MD, MS, of the NMA and Nancy Nielsen, MD, PhD, of the AMA: an interview by George Dawson". Journal of the National Medical Association. 6 (6): 620–622. PMID 19585936.
2. "Speaker Biographies: Carolyn B. Britton" (PDF). American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
3. Britton, CB; Miller, JR (May 1984). "Neurologic complications in acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)". Neurologic Clinics. 2 (2): 315–339. doi:10.1016/S0733-8619(18)31106-X. PMID 6503940.
4. Raeburn, Paul (21 April 1985). "Brain Disorders Found in Most AIDS patients". Daily American Republic.
5. Lange, DJ; Rubin, M; Britton, CB (January 1990). "Disorders of peripheral nerves associated with HIV infection". Clin Podiatr Med Surg. 7 (1): 71–81. doi:10.1016/S0891-8422(23)00363-4. PMID 2154312.
6. Hair, LS; Britton, CB (June 1992). "Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in patients with human immunodeficiency virus". Human Pathology. 23 (6): 663–667. doi:10.1016/0046-8177(92)90322-t. PMID 1592389.
7. Britton, CB (May 1995). "An argument for universal HIV counseling and voluntary testing of women". J Am Med Womens Assoc. 50 (3–4): 85–86. PMID 7657954.
8. "Carolyn Barley Britton, MD, President of the National Medical Association On Eliminating Health Care Disparities Among Minorities". Neurology Today. October 2008.
9. "Carolyn Barley Britton, M.D., M.S." Aetna. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
10. Layden, Tim (7 September 1988). "Tyson-Bruno Off: Doctor says champ needs time to recover". Newsday.