A Visionary in Women’s Health: JoAnn E. Manson, MD, MPH, DrPH, MACP
Life and Legacy in her Voice: Personal Insights and Transformative Contributions to Women’s Health
As part of its mission to preserve and promote the legacy of exemplary women in medicine, the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation created the Alma Dea Morani Renaissance Women in Medicine Oral History Project — an accessible collection of recorded and transcribed interviews with past Alma Dea Morani Award winners.
The Foundation is pleased to announce the expansion of our collection with the addition of 2022 ADM Award winner, JoAnn E. Manson, MD, MPH, DrPH, MACP.
In August of 2024, in four virtual sessions, Dr. Manson recounts her journey in medicine—from her beginnings in northeast Ohio through her medical education and career—emphasizing the personal experiences that sparked her dedication to women’s health and deepened her belief in the evidence-based power of prevention in major diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia.
As she reflects, “Some of my interest in prevention started in medical school, just seeing how much of chronic disease was tied not only to behavioral factors, but also to social determinants of health,” echoing a broader truth in prevention science: zip code may outweigh the influence of your genetic code.
Through her landmark studies, she has illuminated the transformative potential of prevention for individuals once thought powerfully predisposed to chronic illness. Drawing on her extensive training and personal experiences, Dr. Manson became a leading figure in some of the most pioneering women’s health studies of the past four decades, including the Nurses’ Health Study and the Women’s Health Initiative. She reflected on the excitement of conducting large-scale randomized clinical trials and the valuable insights they provided into hormone therapy decision making and dietary or lifestyle recommendations. Her enduring focus on women’s health continues to guide her groundbreaking research.
A physician, epidemiologist, and endocrinologist, she stands among the world’s most frequently cited medical researchers.
She is currently Professor of Medicine and the Michael and Lee Bell Professor of Women’s Health at Harvard Medical School, Professor of Epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, and Chief of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
This oral history project highlights the recipients of the Foundation’s Alma Dea Morani, MD Renaissance Woman Award. This is a unique opportunity for these medical pioneers to share their story in their own words, and for future generations to listen to them tell it.
The Countway Library of Medicine has partnered with us on this project. They have created an online exhibit of each of the oral histories that the Foundation has collected to date. This exhibit gives researchers, educators, and the public the ability to access this content. Dr. Manson's full oral history will be added to this exhibit in 2026. A preview of this oral history is available on the WIMLF website: www.wimlf.org/oral-histories.
Editorial Note: As we complete this oral history, we honor and remember Dr. Arlene Macdonald who passed away in July of 2025. Through her work with the Women in Medicine Legacy Foundation, conducting numerous Oral History interviews, she captured the stories of remarkable women in medicine. Her curiosity, thoughtful questions, and engaging conversations reflected her deep commitment to public health and her dedication to preserving these important legacies—truly embodying the mission of WIMLF.
An accomplished scholar and educator, Dr. Macdonald taught in and directed the Medicine and Society program at the University of Houston Honors College, inspiring countless students along the way. In recognition of her extraordinary contributions, the Honors College has established the Arlene Macdonald Scholarship, supporting future students in the Medicine & Society program and continuing her legacy of mentorship and learning.