Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

"In 2015, I started my internal medicine residency at Boston Medical Center—the largest safety net hospital in New England—with a strong commitment to making a difference in the lives of people from underprivileged and marginalized communities. The work was eye-opening and humbling, shaping me into a more thoughtful and compassionate physician. I learned how members of minority groups often face discrimination in various aspects of life, including housing, education, employment and healthcare. During my early training years, I realized the importance of supporting diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility in my future career. These attributes of my experience led me to stay at Boston Medical Center for my fellowship training in hematology/oncology, where I learned how cancer is more than a disease. Each day, I saw the ways in which cancer interplays with sociocultural, language, economic and lifestyle obstacles.

Now as a practicing hematologist at Boston Medical Center, I strive to bridge access to the most cutting-edge diagnostic modalities and treatments for members of all underrepresented groups—e.g., ethnic, racial, religious, and sexual minorities, among others.

I also support diversity and equity through my research efforts, by studying and tackling the historic racial and ethnic inequalities that are pervasive within the field of cancer. In particular, I am struck by the low representation of minorities in clinical trials, despite having a disproportionately higher risk of certain diseases—e.g., plasma cell disorders like multiple myeloma are more prevalent among Black Americans. I conducted a study investigating racial and ethnic disparities in a rare plasma cell disorder called AL amyloidosis, and found that differences in health outcomes among minorities were largely explained by lower educational level and later recognition of disease, rather than race and ethnicity itself. I concluded that, in order to mitigate disparities in this disease, earlier disease detection and concerted efforts to reduce economic and/or language barriers are key."

• List
• Timeline Graph
• Timeline Data

In addition to these self-described keywords below, a list of MeSH based concepts is available here.

Amyloidosis
Hematology
Clinical Research
Minimal Diseases, Residual