Diversity in the
Division of Gastroenterology

Objectives:

The Division of Gastroenterology at the University of Pennsylvania is committed to the highest quality of patient care, research and education. We recognize that in order to achieve these objectives it is necessary to recruit and retain physicians and other health care professionals who represent our diverse patient population. With this recognition in mind we are committed to:

• The recruitment and retention of underrepresented minorities at all levels to the Division of Gastroenterology
• Career development and mentorship of current underrepresented minority fellows and faculty
• Establishment of a “pipeline” to ensure that underrepresented minority students and residents, clinical fellows, post doctoral research fellows and junior faculty have appropriate mentorship and guidance for career advancement
• Fostering research in multicultural GI related health issues, outcomes and policy
• Coordinating efforts with the university, medical school and hospital to increase and retain underrepresented minority faculty.

The Underrepresented Minority (URM) Committee of the Division of Gastroenterology was created as a mechanism to help meet these goals.  The committee meets bimonthly to discuss ways to increase underrepresented minority fellow and faculty recruitment to the Division of Gastroenterology, to develop curricula geared toward career development and mentorship, and discuss issues relevant to URM professional development in gastroenterology.  Although the committee is comprised of URM faculty, we encourage all fellows and faculty to participate in our programs.

Committee Members:

Rotonya Carr, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine

• Subspecialty Interests:  The pathophysiology of fatty liver diseases
  • Clinical:  Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
  • Research: The role of nonalcoholic and alcoholic hepatic steatosis in glucose homeostasis
• Location: 907 Biomedical Research Building
• Email: rotonya.carr@uphs.upenn.edu
• Contact: 215-349-8222
  

Faten Aberra, MD, MSCE, Assistant Professor of Medicine

• Subspecialty Interests:  Clinical-Educator,
• Clinical:  Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Gastrointestinal Infectious Disease, General Gastroenterology
• Clinical Research:  Inflammatory Bowel Disease Epidemiology, Natural History and Therapy
• Location:  PCAM (Clinical and Research)
• Email:  faten.aberra@uphs.upenn.edu
• Contact:  215-349-8222

Kimberly A. Forde, MD, MHS, Assistant Professor of Medicine & Epidemiology

• Subspecialty Interests:  Acute and chronic liver diseases
  • Clinical: Chronic Liver Disease, Chronic Hepatitis C infection, Acute Liver Injury, Drug Induced               Liver Injury
  • Clinical Research: Hepatitis C Epidemiology, Natural History, Therapy and Post-Liver Transplant, Outcomes, Acute Liver Failure
• Location:  9 Blockley Hall
• Email: kimberly.forde@uphs.upenn.edu
• Contact:  215-746-8597

Frederick A. Nunes, MD, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine

• Subspecialty Interests: Hepatology
  • Clinical: Hepatology
• Location: Pennsylvania Hospital, Washington Square Endoscopy Center, LLC
• Email: frederick.nunes@uphs.upenn.edu
• Contact: 215-829-3561

Octavia Pickett-Blakely, MD, MHS, Instructor of Medicine

• Subspecialty Interests: Gastrointestinal manifestations of obesity
  • Clinical:  General gastroenterology and obesity related gastrointestinal disorders; Nutrition
  • Clinical Research: Outcomes in nutrition and obesity
• Location:  9 Penn Tower
• Email:  Octavia.Pickett-Blakely@uphs.upenn.edu
• Contact:  215-349-8222

Anil K. Rustgi, MD, Chief of Gastroenterology

• Subspecialty interests:  Gastroenterology cancers and genetics
• Location:  PCAM (Clinical) CRB (Research)
• Email:  anil2@mail.med.upenn.edu
• Contact:  215-898-0154

Christina Twyman, MD, Instructor of Medicine

• Subspecialty interests: 
• Location:  909 Biomedical Research Building
• Email:  Christina.Twyman@uphs.upenn.edu
• Contact: 

Committee Advisor, Rachael Berget, Associate Director, Professional Development, University of Pennsylvania

• Email:  rberget@mail.med.upenn.edu

Current URM fellows:

• Karen Chachu, MD, PhD
• Natasha Fontaine, MD
• Lauren Moore, MD

Events Calendar:

Resources:

University of Pennsylvania Links:

• The Office for Diversity and Community Outreach in Undergraduate Medical Education
• Housestaff Diversity
• Office of Diversity and Community Outreach
  
• The Biomedical Postdoctoral Council Diversity Committee
  
• University Council statement regarding Recruitment and Retention of Minority Faculty and Students
  
• Ernest E Just Biomedical Society
  
• Penn Center of Excellence for Diversity in Health Education and Research

External Links:

• American Gastroenterological Association URM Committee
• Association of American Medical Colleges (URM Definition)

Suggested Reading Material:

• Science 2011 Aug; 333: 1015-1019
• Gastroenterology. 2010 Jan;138(1):19-26.e1-3. Epub 2009 Nov 26.
• J Natl Med Assoc. 2008 Sep;100(9):1084-7
• JAMA. 2000 Sep 6;284(9):1085-92
• J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2001 Jul-Aug;10(6):541-50
• J Natl Med Assoc. 2006 Sep;98(9):1435-40
• Basken, Pau. "NIH Considers Anonymity for Grant Applicants" The Chronicle of Higher Education.10 Dec 2012. <http://chronicle.com/article/NIH-Considers-Anonymity-for/136227/>.