Harvard Medical School’s Office for External Education is delighted to announce the appointment of Melinda Lerwill, MD, as the new faculty director of Continuing Education and Accreditation.
Dr. Lerwill has been an engaged Harvard Medical School community member since well before joining the faculty and serving as an assistant professor of Pathology. Her days on the Quad began as a medical student, and she earned her MD summa cum laude from HMS. Dr. Lerwill’s specialty training includes an Anatomic Pathology residency and a Breast and Gynecological Pathology fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she currently serves as associate pathologist, director of the Breast Pathology Service, and program director of the Surgical Pathology Fellowships.
She is renowned for her lectures at national and international postgraduate courses and her authorship of key textbook chapters, underscoring her dedication to academic excellence. Dr. Lerwill has also served on the Education Committee of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology. Her research interests include early neoplasia of the breast, mammary fibroepithelial tumors, and metastatic lesions to the gynecological tract.
Dr. Lerwill has been enhancing continuing education (CE) courses with her considerable expertise. She currently co-directs Current Concepts in Surgical Pathology, a longstanding HMS CE course offered by Massachusetts General Hospital.
In her new role, Dr. Lerwill will provide strategic leadership for developing and delivering CE activities, ensuring compliance with accreditation standards, and fostering innovation in affiliate engagement and online education strategies. She will collaborate closely with the dean for External Education and the director of Continuing Education to align programs with evolving health care education needs.
Dr. Lerwill reflected on her new position: “I am so pleased to undertake this new opportunity at HMS, where I can explore and build upon my experience in continuing education from a new angle, focusing on strategic planning and administration, relationship management, and program development.”
“We are excited about the future contributions Dr. Lerwill will bring to our community in her new capacity,” said David H. Roberts, MD, dean for External Education at Harvard Medical School. “HMS’s catalog of continuing education activities offers a constantly evolving collection of impactful learning opportunities for clinicians and allied health professionals. The relationships between HMS and our hospital affiliates create outstanding opportunities. Dr. Lerwill's role as an ambassador will be key to strengthening these relationships and serving as a valuable resource.”
