Dr. Shirin Peters Builds Company Policies on Ideals of Social Justice

New York City is a melting pot where diversity is embraced and celebrated. For many New Yorkers, this place is a haven where they can be who they are. Being a home to many minority groups, it is a necessity that this city ensures equality in the treatment of all of its residents.

This is one of the main ideals that Dr. Shirin Peters has embraced throughout her entire medical career.

Shirin completed medical school at New York Medical College and finished her residency at Manhattan’s St. Vincent’s Hospital. In 2011, she founded her own health clinic, Bethany Medical Clinic of New York. The medical clinic grew organically for nine years, and today it has expanded to six sites with a team of providers offering services including primary care, dermatology, psychotherapy, cosmetics, as well as nutrition.

Shirin is well-aware of the busy lives of New Yorkers and the consequences of urban-city living. She recognizes that city dwellers often feel like they are unable to make medical appointments that fit around their schedules. With this in mind, Bethany Medical Clinic has opted to cater morning, after-work, and even Saturday appointments to accommodate patients with busy schedules. To maximize their patients’ time, the clinic innovates to minimize waiting times for their appointments, while maximizing the value received from the medical appointment itself.

A personalized care system is utilized by this clinic; they recognize that the notion of “one size fits all” cannot exist when providing health care. Patients are to be given medical attention according to their personal needs and circumstances. “Women — and working mothers in particular — can not take time away from their workplace to get routing care” explains Shirin. “We knew from the outset that we needed to offer early morning appointments, evening appointments and Saturday appointments to meet the needs of these particular patients at our practice. African American women are twice as likely to die from cervical cancer as white women, and instead of accepting this, we tried to look at why. We ultimately created literature to distribute to patients around the importance of routine pap screening and around treatment options after cervical cancer is diagnosed, when we found out that black women are simply less likely to be counseled by a medical professional in these two areas.”

Moreover, a preventative approach is taken by Dr. Shirin and her team. The providers not only focus on the current health problems of the patient, but will also guide the patient in attaining a healthy lifestyle to avoid future problems.

One of the most characteristic features of this medical clinic is that its company policies are founded upon strong advocacies for social justice. This medical community provides a safe space for minority groups such as people of color, women, and anyone else. Not only does the clinic embrace people from all walks in life, but it actively looks for ways to be inclusive.

The active commitment to social justice and inclusivity is what makes this group of medical professionals stand out among the rest.

For more information about Dr. Shirin Peters or Bethany Medical Clinic, check out her website; for regular updates, check out her Instagram.