Dr. Harper Inducted Into the Bishop Society

Diane M. Harper, MD, MPH, tenured professor of family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, bioengineering, and women’s and gender studies, has been inducted into the prestigious Bishop Society. She is one of five new members recently selected by the Society for Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM).

The Bishop Society is a community of experienced senior leaders in STFM and serves as a professional home for mid- and senior-career faculty who have held multiple leadership positions within and beyond family medicine. The Bishop Society serves as a resource to STFM and the broader community of academic family medicine.

A renowned family physician and clinical research expert, Dr. Harper is internationally recognized for her work on HPV-associated diseases, including their prevention, early detection, and treatment to reduce cancer risk. She led the global HPV vaccination clinical trials resulting in the HPV vaccines available today, which now prevent all HPV associated cancers. Over a career spanning more than 30 years, she has made substantial contributions to public health, epidemiology, and health behavior research. She has authored more than 350 publications, contributed to multiple textbooks, and amassed tens of thousands of citations. Her scholarship has helped shape global guidelines and policies for cervical cancer screening and prevention in the United States and Europe, as well as for the World Health Organization’s Elimination of Cervical Cancer Initiative. 

Dr. Harper’s research has directly advanced patient care. Her work led to the implementation of cervical cancer screening self-sampling at Michigan Medicine, and she continues to collaborate with institutions nationwide to expand access to this accurate, patient-centered approach. Her research team was the first to publish evidence demonstrating the equivalence of self-sampling to the speculum exam for cervical cancer screening in a U.S.-based population—findings that helped catalyze this transformative change in practice and formed the basis upon which the Women's Preventive Services Initiative Guidelines were updated in January 2026. The cervical cancer screening recommendations now state that Primary HPV testing is the preferred screening test and all women should be offered the option to self-sample for screening.

“Dr. Harper is an exemplary family medicine physician-scientist and leader whose high-impact work has achieved what most dream of:  changing practice to improve lives,” said Phillip E. Rodgers, MD, the George A. Dean, M.D. Chair of Family Medicine.  “Her leadership in cervical cancer screening has been transformative, driving substantial improvements in clinical protocols and patient outcomes and experience at Michigan Medicine and many other institutions, with momentum to spread far and wide.  Dr. Harper’s dedication to advancing healthcare through innovative research and evidence-based practice has earned her widespread recognition and respect among colleagues and students alike and we are thrilled she has been recognized by STFM and the Bishop Society. Her visionary approach and collaborative spirit continue to inspire those around her, leaving an indelible mark on the field of family medicine and on the lives of countless patients.”

Her induction into the Bishop Society recognizes her exceptional contributions as a physician-scientist and educator. She joins Philip Zazove, MD, and Thomas L. Schwenk, MD, both former department chairs and emeritus professors, as members of this distinguished group.