William Hersh, M.D., professor of biomedical informatics in the OHSU School of Medicine, has been recognized by the National Academy of Medicine. (OHSU/Christine Torres HIcks)
An Oregon Health & Science University professor with deep expertise in the field of biomedical informatics has earned distinction as a member of the National Academy of Medicine.
William Hersh, M.D., professor of biomedical informatics in the OHSU School of Medicine, is among 100 newly elected members this year.
Election to the academy is considered one of the highest honors a scientist or health care professional can receive and, according to the academy, “recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievement and commitment to service.”
OHSU now has 14 faculty members who have been elected to the National Academy of Medicine.
Hersh has taught generations of biomedical informatics students since he began his career at OHSU in 1990, following a fellowship in the field at Harvard University. The academy specifically recognized his leadership in biomedical informatics education and in the critical role of retrieving and sharing health records and other information vital to the care of patients.
“How we obtain and use biomedical information is increasingly critical to positive patient outcomes,” said OHSU President Shereef Elnahal, M.D., M.B.A. “Not only has Dr. Hersh’s work transformed how we understand and use health data, his passion for improving education of health care professionals through the evolution of biomedical information — including artificial intelligence — has greatly improved the patient care experience.”
Hersh served as the inaugural chair of the university’s Department of Medical Informatics and Clinical Epidemiology from its inception through 2023. He has been an education and research leader and innovator in biomedical informatics, including through global collaborations with medical organizations in South America, Africa and Asia.
During his tenure at OHSU, Hersh has published more than 180 peer-reviewed papers, written or edited several books, and earned more than $50 million in grant funding. The OHSU biomedical informatics graduate program that he developed and directed until 2024 has more than 1,000 alumni who work in academia, health care systems and industry.
Curious about the role of artificial intelligence in medicine and education, Hersh has more recently also forged new insight about the use of AI in class and in learning.
Hersh earned his medical degree from the University of Illinois and completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Illinois Hospital in Chicago in 1987.
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