Framingham Physician Milagros Abreu, M.D. Honored by Massachusetts Medical Society

Medway resident Milagros Abreu, M.D., M.P. H., has been honored by the Massachusetts Medical Society as the 2015 recipient of the Henry Ingersoll Bowditch Award for Excellence in Public Health.

Named after a leading figure in medicine and public health in the 19th century, the award is presented to a Massachusetts physician who demonstrates creativity, commendable citizenship, initiative, innovation and leadership in the public health and advocacy fields. She received the award, one of the Society’s most prestigious honors, at the organization’s annual meeting April 30 in Boston.

Dr. Abreu is the founder, president, and chief executive officer of the Framingham-based Latino Health Insurance Program, a not-for-profit organization that responds to the causes of the Latino population in Massachusetts and assists uninsured and under-insured individuals in navigating the health care system and applying for medical coverage.

In nominating her for the award, her colleagues stated that “Dr. Milagros Abreu is a most courageous, realistic, accomplished, and visionary public health physician who continually demonstrates outstanding initiative, creativity, and leadership in public health outreach, advocacy, and accomplishments in Massachusetts.”

Dr. Abreu founded the Latino Health Insurance Program in 2006 and, in addition to her duties as president and chief executive officer, is program director of four sites in East Boston, Framingham, Milford, and Worcester. From 2006-2011, she served as the Director of the Boston University School of Public Health’s Minority Access to Health Project.

A member of the Massachusetts Medical Society since 2011, she is a member of its House of Delegates and current chair of the Society’s Committee on Diversity, responsible for implementing the Society’s policy on ethnic diversity through education, outreach, and collaboration.

Dr. Abreu has volunteered with a number of community health and welfare organizations and is currently an active member of the Massachusetts Health Aging Collaborative, MetroWest and North Shore Coalitions for Healthy Aging, Healthy MetroWest, the Massachusetts Public Health Association, and the Children’s Health Access Coalition.

A published author and lecturer on a variety of health care topics, Dr. Abreu’s writings have appeared in such journals as Pediatrics, Preventing Chronic Disease, and Maternal and Child Health Journal.

The Bowditch Award is the latest honor Dr. Abreu has received for her public health efforts. Among many awards, she has previously been honored by the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy Coalition, the Latino Community Council, Association for Boston Community Development, and Color Magazine.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Dr. Abreu received her B.S. degree honor roll from the College of the United States of America in 1989 and her M.D. cum laude from the Independent University Medical School in the Dominican Republic (UASD) in 1995. In 2010, she received her Master’s in Public Health from the Boston University of School of Public Health. Dr. Abreu resides in Medway.

The Massachusetts Medical Society, with more than 24,000 physicians and student members, is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society, under the auspices of NEJM Group, publishes the New England Journal of Medicine, a leading global medical journal and web site, and NEJM Journal Watch alerts and publications covering 13 specialties. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education for health care professionals throughout Massachusetts, conducting a variety of medical education programs for physicians and health care professionals. Founded in 1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country.