Pauline DeLange Martinez, PhD’s Post

Leveraging Experience for Transformative Research! 🌟CU Anschutz's groundbreaking Older Adults Research Specialist (OARS) program, spearheaded by Kady Nearing PhD, is revolutionizing clinical trial recruitment. Established just two years ago, OARS is already making waves in the medical community, earning recognition in the latest edition of the Harvard Business Review. Led by Dr. Nearing, an assistant professor in the Division of Geriatric Medicine, OARS aims to harness the wealth of knowledge and transferable skills possessed by individuals over the age of 50. By enlisting older adults, the program seeks to diversify the research workforce at CU Anschutz and address the significant underrepresentation of older adults, especially those from diverse backgrounds, in clinical research. Supported by a three-year funding award from the National Institute on Aging (NIA), the OARS program exemplifies CU Anschutz's commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in research. Read more about the OARS program here: https://lnkd.in/gKZbE4gR #OARS  #ClinicalResearch #DiversityandInclusion #DEI #OlderAdults #HealthEquity #Medicine

An excellent topic of interest.

In the wake of political attacks on DEI, it is critical that funders support pathway programs to improve diversity Idia Thurston tells Kathyrn Palmer from Inside Higher Ed. This finding is one of 13 evidence-based strategies we identified to increase racial and ethnic equity in the academic health sciences. Check out the article which highlights our research: https://lnkd.in/eMceBTAt

In honor of Celebrate Diversity Month, Dr. Maria Trent, director of the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine at the Children’s Center and senior associate dean of diversity and inclusive excellence for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, shares insight into her role and what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean to her. “Early in my life, I became intrigued by mental health disorders and how they shaped the lives of impacted individuals…Adolescent and young adult medicine became the perfect fit for me because it is a subspecialty mix encompassing this unique but important window in a human’s life punctuated by the beauty of biology, psychology, and behavioral aspects of change…I’ve learned over time that my gift is my ability to see strengths in young people and families in almost every situation and use my clinical training to help them leverage those strengths for optimal physical and emotional health management. [Diversity, equity, and inclusion] means everyone has a place at the table, functioning fully as themselves and at the top of their ability. It also means that everyone is seen, can engage equitably, and contribute in ways that benefit all of us...To do this work effectively, we must reflect on who we are and the things we bring with us to work every day, so we can provide high quality care to all patients and families, conduct innovative team science that transforms human health, and teach the next generation of leaders in medicine across fields. This will help us reduce health disparities, optimize patient outcomes, and economically sustain our academic health care models into the future. I’m excited that our pediatrics team has formally integrated a cross-cultural communication training curriculum I developed over a decade ago for the department, which allows trainees to practice navigating cultural factors in pediatric practice and to use interpreter services more effectively. Another important activity is to bring medical students interested in health equity to Hopkins to experience the unique environment and determine if this is the right place for them to train. Finally, we support faculty development activities to optimize faculty experiences as clinicians, researchers, teachers, and leaders. As we pursue our academic mission, these touchpoints ensure that students, trainees, and faculty can effectively serve a diverse population of infants, children, youth and families.” #DEI #ChildrensHealth

New Article: Strategies to Attract Students to Gerontology I'm excited to share my latest article, "Shaping the Future: The Significance of Working with Older Adults," where I delve into the urgent need for skilled professionals in gerontology and how we can cultivate interest among students. Drawing on my experiences and the insights of Dr. Ann O'Hanlon from the University of New Orleans, this piece explores personal motivations, educational interventions, and practical incentives to inspire the next generation of gerontology professionals. You can read the full article here. https://lnkd.in/dcwpZDrW

Our paper is now Open Access! 🥳 Many thanks to the University of Surrey and CTS Surrey for making this possible. https://lnkd.in/e_dG9Sku #IPE #Interprofessional #education #healthsciences (I will explain in a different post why I consider this paper to be so important.)

Thank you to Heidi Schumacher, MD for such a thoughtful review! “A journalistic triumph. In a world in which truth is subjective and distrust of experts is rampant, Soplop provides a compelling primer on the fundamentals of science literacy and their relationship to a strong and healthy society. With meticulous research and engrossing case studies, she paints a comprehensive picture of the crisis and opportunity before us to save science—and democracy as a whole. As a pediatrician, educator, and former government official, I strongly recommend this book to patients, health care professionals, policy makers, journalists, and the broader public as a critical toolkit to evaluate and communicate the strengths, limitations, and implications of science in modern society. This book belongs in every institute of higher education, health care office, statehouse, newsroom, and living room in America.” -Heidi Schumacher, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Book release date: April 16, 2024 #scienceliteracy #medialiteracy #scicomm #sciencecommunication #sciencejournalism #informationcrisis #publichealth

Had I known 22 years ago what I know today, I would have never considered a career in medicine. Not because our healthcare system is falling apart. Not because some days are long and challenging. But because our profession is losing touch with reality and is following a worrisome trajectory. I wonder what’s behind a radical DEI movement that, instead of enabling diversity, equity, and inclusion, is creating divisiveness among us and between us and our patients. How troubling is it that we don’t have the humility nor the self-awareness  to realize that people are more than their colour, race, religious beliefs, gender, and sexual orientation. We each have a story that transcends each and all of these. In our mad rush to place ourselves and others in boxes, we’re robbing each other of our unique stories and experiences. We’re failing ourselves and our patients in so many different ways. It’s time to pause. And to start thinking about our purpose. And about what our colleagues and patients need from us at this most crucial time. It’s certainly not more divisiveness. Nor is it distractions from the ills that are bringing our healthcare system to its knees.  But rather more respect, understanding, compassion, and unity. And the curiosity, wisdom, and courage to ask the toughest and most uncomfortable questions. I speak as a physician and as a woman who studied engineering nearly 30 years ago. I excelled not because I got a free pass. But because I was treated no differently than my male peers. Today, I count my blessings that back then there was no DEI movement representing 'my' interests and speaking on 'my' behalf. #healthcareprofessionals #physicians #medicine #medicaleducation #medicalstudents #medicalresidents #DEI #healthcaresystem #healthcarereform #patientadvocacy #patientempowerment

On Day 1 of medical school at Aga Khan University (AKU) Medical College I attended a lecture by the incomparable founding chair of Community Health Sciences - Dr. Jack Bryant "Am I sick because I am poor or am I poor because I am sick". This talk has been foundational to my understanding of the discipline. While great effort is being expanded to address #healthdisparities in the United States, we still need to refine our understanding of the complex interplay between poverty and health. The role of poverty at the intersection of race and health outcomes when the typical White family has about six times as much wealth as the typical Black family, and five times as much as the typical Hispanic family requires our focus. The impact of health care quality and access for populations living in poverty in both rural areas such as Appalachia where almost 140 hospitals have shut their doors since 2010 and small towns with impoverished populations are struggling for healthcare access and in urban behemoths like NYC where there is nearly a 35-year difference in life expectancy between the census tracts with the shortest and longest life expectancies, just a few miles apart Despite having the most expensive healthcare system in the world, we are still failing our most vulnerable populations. Understanding how poverty and health are related is a critical need. This article makes an important contribution to our understanding of some of these key issues. Adding it to the reading list for our students at CUNY School of Medicine

Opportunity