Marilee C.S. Cole, MD, DTMH, has established an exceptional career spanning more than five decades, marked by a steadfast commitment to patient care, medical education and global health. In her present position as professor of medicine at Georgetown University Medical Center, she continues to mentor and inspire young physicians, particularly through her involvement in global health initiatives. Her favorite aspect of this role has been guiding internal medicine residents during immersive month-long experiences in Africa, where they live and work together under challenging conditions. Dr. Cole finds deep satisfaction in witnessing the transformation of these residents as they develop resilience and a passion for global health, often maintaining close relationships with them for years after their training.
Before assuming her professorship, Dr. Cole excelled as a member of the clinical staff at Georgetown University Medical Center from 1984 to 2010. During this period, she played a pivotal role in outpatient care and contributed significantly to the institution’s educational mission. Dr. Cole’s dedication to mentoring was evident in her efforts to create impactful learning opportunities for residents and colleagues alike.
From 1980 to 1982, Dr. Cole completed a fellowship in primary care at Georgetown University Medical Center. It was during this time that she initiated a patient education file, which became an essential resource for interns and residents in the outpatient clinic. This initiative reflected Dr. Cole’s enduring commitment to improving patient education and supporting the professional growth of future physicians.
Prior to her tenure at Georgetown, Dr. Cole worked as a general internist in the outpatient clinic at Boston University for five years. This experience further honed her clinical skills and reinforced her dedication to comprehensive patient care. Her foundational training also included both residency and internship at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, formerly known as Baltimore City Hospital. These formative years established the clinical expertise and empathetic approach that would define her career.
Throughout her professional journey, Dr. Cole has also found success as a speaker and lecturer, sharing insights from her extensive experience with audiences across the medical community. She is also noted as the co-founder of the Georgetown Women in Medicine Organization, established in 1994, which has played a transformative role in advancing opportunities for women physicians and academics. Additionally, she is an active member of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. Beyond her primary roles, Dr. Cole is a supporter of Doctors Without Borders and various global health initiatives, reflecting her ongoing commitment to humanitarian causes.
A defining milestone in Dr. Cole’s career has been her leadership in global health, beginning in 2000 when she responded to the HIV epidemic in Africa by developing an HIV protocol that secured funding from Columbia University. Her efforts contributed to shifting perceptions of HIV from a terminal diagnosis to a manageable chronic condition. Dr. Cole also established educational programs for local physicians, fostering reciprocal learning environments and empowering colleagues to continue their professional development independently.
Dr. Cole’s approach throughout her career has been shaped by lessons learned through persistence, mentorship and advocacy for underserved populations. She credits supportive mentors for enabling her achievements and recognizes that identifying one’s passion is essential for making meaningful contributions to medicine. The influence of Dr. Cole’s parents, which includes her father’s engineering acumen and her mother’s social grace, provided her with a unique blend of analytical thinking and interpersonal skills that have served her well throughout her career.
To support her professional ambitions, Dr. Cole graduated with a Doctor of Medicine from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in 1972. She acknowledges the guidance of her parents and grandparents as instrumental role models who shaped her values and professional ethos. Her educational background provided not only clinical expertise but also inspired lifelong loyalty among patients during her years providing outpatient care at Georgetown University Medical Center. The combination of rigorous academic training and strong family influences has been central to Dr. Cole’s success as both a physician and educator.
Dr. Cole’s achievements have been honored with numerous accolades, including being recognized among the “First 100 Women Professors” at Georgetown University Medical Center in 2016, Mentor of the Year by Georgetown University Medical Faculty, and a finalist for Mentorship Excellence for Medical Women Faculty. She was likewise presented with the John Eisenberg Memorial Career Development Award, the Service to Humanity Award from Bucknell University, the “Service Award” from the Georgetown University Medical Caucus of the GU Faculty Senate in 2010, the “Vicennial Medal” from Georgetown University Medical Center in 2012, and the National “Women in Medicine Leadership Development Award” from Georgetown Women in Medicine in 2014. Inducted into the Alumni Hall of Fame at Towson High School, Dr. Cole was celebrated with the honorary title of “Yaah” for providing medical care to underserved populations in Kumbo, Cameroon.
Dr. Cole’s contributions extend into publications and creative projects as well. As an invited speaker, she has presented such talks as “Her Journey as a Woman in Medicine” at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Moreover, she has been featured in numerous profiles highlighting her global health work, including class notes for Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, features on the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine website, WAMU FM’s Georgetown Forum, Georgetown University’s Blue & Gray Magazine and Dahlgren Medical Library’s Women’s History Month celebration. Dr. Cole is also credited as co-author of a book chapter on related topics.
Dr. Cole hopes that by passing down stories from her career, including those not suitable for publication due to privacy concerns, she can inspire future generations within her family to integrate service into their professional lives. Her advice to women entering medicine centers on unity, mutual support and data-driven advocacy for equity within their fields, principles she championed through co-founding the Georgetown Women in Medicine organization. Looking toward the future, she aims to complete ongoing research protocols with collaborators based both domestically and abroad while serving as a resource for their implementation. Dr. Cole also plans to assist with integrating global health initiatives between Georgetown University Medical Center’s hospital system and its medical school-based institute, fostering collaboration among emerging physicians and researchers dedicated to global health advancement.