Be Apart Of Something Big
Howard University Hospital History
Howard University Hospital (HUH) is one of America's best hospitals. A rich tradition of leadership and service dates back to 1862, to the founding of Freedmen’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. The hospital was the first of its kind to aid in the medical treatment of former enslaved persons and African American serviceman returning from the Civil War. Housed in converted army barracks, Freedmen’s Hospital provided a refuge for patients receiving medical care due to the denial of care at other city hospitals. In the late 1860s, Freedmen’s formed a partnership with the Howard University College of Medicine to train African-American medical professionals. In 1909, Congress authorized the construction of a new hospital on the campus of Howard University. In 1967, Howard University was granted full authority over Freedmen’s Hospital. In 1975, the University opened a new hospital opened on Georgia Avenue NW, in the city’s historic Shaw neighborhood.
Over the course of its 165-year history of providing primary, secondary, and tertiary health care services, HUH has become one of the most comprehensive health care facilities in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area that now has a designated Level 1 Trauma Center. The Hospital provides top-tier inpatient and outpatient health care services through its comprehensive set of 14 specialty care departments, including a Department of Emergency Medicine that sees approximately 50,000 patients annually. Further, HUH is home to a variety of centers specifically focused on wellness, cancer, cardiac, diabetes, and infectious disease management, among others.
Howard Medicine Matters
For more than 150 years, Howard University College of Medicine has played a vital role in educating African American physicians. In fact, the College of Medicine trains more African American and minority medical students and serves as a pipeline for the largest number of future doctors, nurses, and other allied health professionals in the D.C. region. As the nation's only teaching hospital located on the campus of a historically Black university, Howard University Hospital offers medical students a superior learning environment, as well as opportunities to observe or participate in ground-breaking clinical research. Together, the medical school and the hospital serve as a pipeline for the nation’s top black physicians focused on providing care to historically disenfranchised groups in underserved communities throughout our Nation's Capital and across the country.
Healthcare In Washington, D.C.
Healthcare in Washington, D.C. is a challenging yet rewarding environment. The city boasts some of the highest mortality rates in the country for diseases such as cancer, hypertension, diabetes, heart and kidney disease. In areas east of the Anacostia River, the numbers are even more telling. Since its inception, Howard University Hospital has proudly served these communities with compassion, respect and individualized care. Howard University Hospital is currently the safety net hospital for the District of Columbia.
HUH Serves As A Pipeline For Minority Doctors, Nurses & Allied Health Professionals in the Washington, D.C. Region
Culture & Community
The culture of Howard University Hospital (HUH) and the community it represents are undeniably one-of-a-kind. The Hospital is connected to the University and its longstanding legacy of greatness and traditions that showcase excellence. HUH boasts a very strong understanding and appreciation of its history, cultural awareness and significance when it comes to healthcare issues that historically have impacted African Americans.
Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity and inclusion efforts significantly enhance experiences to create greater workplace synergies. People from diverse backgrounds help to attract qualified employees and retain high-performing staff members. A diverse staff also helps patients from underrepresented backgrounds feel more comfortable during their hospital stay. Diversity and inclusion at Howard University Hospital directly impacts patient health outcomes and quality of life. Diversity and inclusion are essential in keeping our staff members engaged and improving the overall patient experience. HUH consistently works to gain a better understanding about the backgrounds of our staff members and the patients we serve.