The Women's and Gender Studies community joins colleagues, students, and international partners in mourning the passing of Timothy R.B. Johnson, a visionary physician, educator, and leader in maternal health, medical education, and health equity around the world. He passed away in his home, as he wished, with his three loving children at his side.
Dr. Timothy R.B. Johnson joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in 1993 as the Bates Professorof the Diseases of Women and Children and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He was also a Arthur F. Thurnau Professor, Professor of Women's and Gender Studies, and Research Professor in the Center for Human Growth and Development. His education and training were at the University of Michigan, University of Virginia (MD) and Johns Hopkins (Maternal Fetal Medicine fellowship). After completing his MFM fellowship, he remained at John’s Hopkins where he went on to serve as Division Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine as well as Residency Director.
Dr. Johnson was a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and Fellow of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. He was active in leading international teaching and training especially in Ghana, Africa and was an honorary fellow of the West African College of Surgeons, honorary fellow of the Ghana College of Physicians and Surgeons, and Fellow ad eundem of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (London). He authored over two hundred fifty articles, chapters and books. He has served on numerous editorial boards, study sections, professional committees, societies and boards and was an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Science. In 2005, Dr. Johnson was awarded the Distinguished Service Award, the highest honor of ACOG. He was a Past President of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Editor of the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Johnson’s impact extended far beyond Ann Arbor. In the mid-1980s, he began what would become a lifelong partnership with medical and academic leaders in Ghana, where a shortage of trained obstetricians was contributing to high rates of maternal and newborn mortality. At the time, aspiring Ob-Gyns were required to train abroad, and few returned — a situation Johnson recognized as a symptom of global inequity. In response, he helped design and launch Ghana’s first in-country Ob-Gyn residency program, creating a pipeline of trained specialists who now serve in hospitals, medical schools and health ministries across the country. Today, this model of ethical, locally anchored capacity building is regarded as a gold standard for sustainable global health partnerships.
Johnson’s work in Ghana inspired a generation of physicians and global health practitioners. His book, “More than ‘First, Do No Harm,’” reflects on this experience and offers a practical guide for how academic institutions and healthcare providers can engage responsibly in low-resource settings. His legacy has shaped global health training at U-M and continues to influence health system strengthening efforts across sub-Saharan Africa and beyond.
At U-M, Johnson worked across departments, schools and centers to advance global women’s health and medical education. He was a valued member of the Center for Global Health Equity, where he served as an adviser and champion for equitable, partnership-based global engagement. In addition, he was an active member of the community, supporting Safe House, the University Musical Society, Boy Scouts and many other charities and the arts. He was also an avid Michigan football and basketball fan.
Dr. Johnson’s influence will be felt for generations to come — in Ghana, at Michigan, and anywhere people are working to build a more just and equitable world.
May his memory be a blessing.
