It's a first -- black woman leads nation's premier black college medical school

In its 154-year history, this is a first! A black woman, Dr. Andrea Hayes Dixon, has taken over as Dean of Howard University's College of Medicine.

Howard is considered by many to be the country's premier Historically Black College/University (HBCU).

With more than 4,000 living alumni, Howard's medical school has produced a sizeable share of African-American physicians practicing in the United States.

Photo courtesy Howard University