Dr. Greer joined the University on June 1, 2020 with the goal of establishing an innovative mid-21st Century, Las Vegas-based medical school that will align students, educators, and community in designing and delivering an inclusive and collaborate environment for learning, healthcare and research. Previously, Dr. Greer served as Professor of Medicine, Founding Chair of Humanities, Health, and Society; and Associate Dean for Community Engagement at Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine in Miami, Florida.
Working with various FIU colleges, Dr. Greer spearheaded the nationally recognized Green Family Foundation Neighborhood Health Education Learning Program (NeighborhoodHELP). This program prepares medical students and other health professions students to address the social determinants of health through a hands-on longitudinal experience caring for underserved households in Miami-Dade County. Better known as “Joe,” Dr. Greer has been an advocate for health equity by engaging communities to create effective health and social policies and accessible health care systems.
He established Camillus Health Concern, Inc. and Saint John Bosco, health centers for underserved populations in Miami-Dade County, Florida. He has received numerous recognitions, including: one of the 500 Most Influential Business Leaders in Life Sciences listed on the Florida Trend 2019; June 2019 AMA Foundation Pride in Profession Award; Bob Graham Center for Public Service 2017 Citizen of the Year; 2014 National Jefferson Award in the category of Greatest Public Service Benefiting the Disadvantaged; 2013 Great Floridian Award; the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom; and in 1993, was honored as a MacArthur Foundation “Genius Grant” Fellow. He has published more than 30 articles and book chapters and wrote Waking Up in America, a book about his life experiences, including caring for homeless individuals and advising Presidents Bush Sr. and Clinton on health care policy. Dr. Greer is currently a Trustee at the RAND Corporation (America’s oldest and largest think tank) and is the Chair of the Pardee RAND Graduate School Board of Governors. He served as Chair for the Hispanic Heritage Awards Foundation from 2002 to 2012, and is an independent board member of American Funds 2016 to present.
He completed his medical studies at La Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra in the Dominican Republic. ]He trained in Internal Medicine, served as Chief Resident, and completed two post-doctoral fellowships (Hepatology and Gastroenterology) at the VA/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Miami, Florida. Before joining FIU, Dr. Greer ran a successful private practice and was Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mercy Hospital in Miami.
