This spring, Cori Simpson graduated with a degree in Human Health Sciences — and along the way she learned she had an amazing connection to one of the great scandals in our country’s history. During her undergraduate classes, she took a course on Ethics and Healthcare. It was then she learned about the Tuskegee Syphilis study — an inhumane study conducted from 1932 to 1972 that was intended to see the natural history of untreated syphilis in Black men.

The doctors implementing the study did not collect informed consent from the participants, nor did they provide them with treatment when it became available. Over 100 of the participants died of syphilis or related complications. Cori immediately went to her grandfather, who had worked in a health leadership position in the government, and asked for more information. He knew the subject well — because he helped former President Bill Clinton formally apologize to the surviving men involved in the incident.

Afterward, Cori reflected on what she’d learned, and even helped further educate her peers on the topic. Come with us and listen to history come alive … on this episode of The Way Podcast.

The Way Podcast is the official podcast of the College of Health Sciences, where we highlight the amazing people that make our college special. Here at UK, the College of Health Sciences is your Gateway to the Health Professions.