J.W. Carmichael: ‘A legacy as mighty as Xavier’

by Macie Capote

By Macie Capote
Clarion Herald

Dr. J.W. Carmichael, the founder and former director of Xavier University of Louisiana’s pre-medical programs, was a pivotal force in transforming the university into a national leader in producing Black medical professionals.

Under his guidance, Xavier evolved from placing fewer than 10 students annually into medical schools in the 1970s to becoming the top producer of Black pre-med students in the nation.

Carmichael, who died on Sept. 7, was honored Nov. 8 during Xavier’s homecoming weekend with a memorial service and a second-line procession celebrating his legacy.

Home at Xavier

As a young professor from New Mexico, Carmichael came to New Orleans and joined the Xavier faculty in 1970. Over his five-decade career, he developed Xavier’s pre-medical program, built the Summer Science Academy and founded the pre-medical office, which became the key to Xavier’s success in preparing students for medical school.

“As to my early professional career, coming to Xavier and discovering I loved New Orleans and the students at Xavier were extremely important to me,” Carmichael told George Dawson, M.D., in a 2005 National Medical Association (NMA) interview. “Within three years, I knew I was not going anywhere unless they kicked me out because I loved my job.”

Under Carmichael’s mentorship, Xavier’s pre-medical program flourished. By the 1980s, the university was placing 25 students annually into medical schools. By the 2000s, that number had increased to 75-85 students entering allopathic medical programs, along with many more pursuing dentistry, veterinary medicine and public health degrees.

A deep care for students

Carmichael’s influence extended far beyond statistics. Known for his sharp wit and tough love, he challenged students to push themselves beyond their limits. QuoVadis Webster, Xavier’s current director of pre-medical programs and a 2000 alumna, noted that beneath his demanding demeanor was deep care for his students. She credits him with shaping her life and career, saying there weren’t enough hours in the day to fully describe what he meant to her.

“He devoted himself to Xavier. It wasn’t just about getting students into medical school but ensuring they thrived once they were there,” Webster said. “He poured into us and tried his best to make available to us the opportunities that predominantly white institutions with more resources were offering their students.

“He could’ve taken his brilliant mind and knack for problem-solving anywhere, but he planted his roots in New Orleans and made Xavier his home,” she said. “We became his life-long ‘why.’”

Webster, who cared for Carmichael before and after his retirement, has committed herself to continuing his mission of excellence for Xavier students.

‘Mighty as Xavier itself’

Carmichael’s mentorship often spanned entire families. Dr. Dawn Brown, a double-board-certified psychiatrist and a 2000 Xavier graduate, told the crowd that Carmichael was the reason she and her brother are doctors today.

“He didn’t stop at creating scholars; he created futures and stood by us every step of the way,” Brown said. “The legend of Dr. Carmichael is as mighty as Xavier itself.”

Dr. Michelle Boissiere, head of Xavier’s biology department and an alumna, echoed this sentiment and said she considers it an honor and a blessing to have witnessed Carmichael’s life at Xavier.

“His ripple effect goes further than the people he directly impacted; it extends to those who never met him but benefit from his work,” she said.

Carmichael’s commitment to health equity and lifelong mission to diversity the field of medicine continues through Xavier’s announcement of a new College of Medicine in partnership with Ochsner Health. The Xavier Ochsner College of Medicine (XOCOM), set to open soon, will be the only HBCU medical school serving the Gulf South.

Although Carmichael was a self-identified agnostic, Webster described him as embodying the values of service, compassion and commitment that align deeply with Xavier’s Catholic mission.

“He was the most Christ-like person I’ve ever known,” Webster said. “The lessons he taught us cannot be quantified, and his work lives on in every one of us.”

800+ earn medical degrees

Over the past two decades, 803 Xavier graduates have earned medical degrees in the U.S., a testament to the foundation laid by Carmichael and the pre-medical office he established.

According to a university press release, Carmichael often joked that he was “roped into” the role of pre-medical advisor after voicing frustrations about the lack of guidance available to pre-med students. Today, his name is synonymous with pre-medicine at Xavier.

A quote shared at Carmichael’s memorial service encapsulated his commitment to Xavier and its students:

“As far as I am concerned, the only accomplishment worthwhile was being able to look back at any time and say that I had done everything humanly possible to help as many students achieve their goal of becoming a health professional.”

[email protected]