Inspirational Black Men and Women in Medicine: Dr Folasade P May of UCLA & Stand Up To Cancer On 5 Things You Need To Create A Successful Career In Medicine
An Interview With Jamie Hemmings
“Prioritize your health.” Physicians often take our own health for granted. For this reason, I feel that it is important for early career physician-scientists to hear often and early to always prioritize their physical and mental health. I have witnessed promising researchers burn-out and suffer preventable medical problems due to personal neglect. In order to conduct high-quality science over a long career, well-being and self-care are key.
In the United States today, black doctors are vastly underrepresented. Only 5% of physicians nationwide are black. Why is it so important to have better representation? What steps can be taken to fix this discrepancy? In this interview series, we are talking to successful black men and women in medicine about their career, their accomplishments, and how others may follow their path. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Folasade P. May.
Dr. May graduated cum laude from Yale University with a degree in molecular, cellular, and developmental biology. After college, she attended the University of Cambridge to study epidemiology and international health, earning a master’s of philosophy in epidemiology before returning to the U.S. to attend Harvard Medical School. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and remained at MGH for one year as a hospitalist and clinical educator in the Department of Medicine Academic Medicine Quality Program and as manager of Trainee Affairs for the MGH Multicultural Affairs Office.
Dr. May came to UCLA in 2011 to begin her gastroenterology fellowship and was part of the UCLA Specialty Training and Advanced Research (STAR) program. During her fellowship, she earned a PhD in health policy and management from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health. Her doctoral dissertation addressed Black-White disparities in colorectal cancer incidence, screening and outcomes.
Upon completing her GI fellowship, Dr. May joined the digestive diseases faculty at UCLA with a dual appointment in the Veterans Affairs. She is the director of the May Laboratory, which engages in health services research and quality improvement related to population health, preventive health, and health disparities at UCLA Health, in Federally Qualified Health Centers (community health centers), and in the Veterans Affairs. Research spans several areas from the epidemiology of disease and disease risk factors to implementation science to improve disease outcomes. As director of the Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program, Dr. May also oversees a portfolio of quality improvement projects at UCLA Health to improve the quality of care for UCLA Health patients with gastrointestinal and liver conditions. Dr. May is passionate about improving awareness about preventive health and health equity and is involved in advocacy at the state and national level to develop and encourage policy to improve healthcare delivery. She has received numerous local and national awards for her research, community engagement and advocacy, including recognition from the American Cancer Society, National Colorectal Cancer Roundtable, American College of Gastroenterology, and American Gastroenterological Association, and the Biden Cancer Moonshot. Her research is funded by the National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute, Tobacco Related Disease Research Program, Broad Stem Cell Research Center, and Stand Up to Cancer.
Dr. May is a member of the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center (JCCC) and an associate director of the UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity. She is also an assistant director for the UCLA STAR Program and the director of grants for the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine Global Health Program.
Dr. Folasade May, Co-leader of the SU2C Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team Associate Professor of Medicine, Vatche and Tamar Manoukian Division of Digestive Diseases Director Melvin and Bren Simon Gastroenterology Quality Improvement Program Associate Director, UCLA Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Equity in the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center Associate Director, UCLA Specialty Training and Advanced Research Program David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share three reasons with our readers why it’s really important for there to be more diversity in medicine?
While the United States population is becoming more diverse, the medical workforce has struggled to diversify at the same pace. This is highlighted by reports of lack of diversity in nearly all medical and surgical specialties, including my own field of gastroenterology. Diversity in medicine is necessary for several reasons, and I will highlight just three here.
First, we must have diversity in the physician workforce if we want to provide all people with the highest quality health care. I personally feel that access to high-quality health care is a right. By having diverse representation of women, people of color, and people from different cultural and economic backgrounds, the medical profession is infused with varied perspectives on how to provide care to patients and families in the best way possible. In turn, we can better understand our patients and their unique needs, reduce cultural and language barriers that make it challenging for some communities to optimize their health, and overcome challenges such as bias in healthcare.
Second, we can only achieve true scientific excellence when we have diversity in biomedical research. Scientific excellence occurs when individuals from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences who are passionate about various challenges in health care are engaged. We need all types of basic, clinical, and translational science researchers to help us make discoveries about common and rare diseases, including conditions that disproportionally impact certain communities or that have differential impact by race, ethnicity, and other factors. For example, the Stand Up To Cancer® (SU2C) Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team that I co-lead is building a collection of blood and stool samples for future research to ensure that low income and racial/ethnic minority populations are represented in the development of new screening tests and early detection methods for colorectal cancer. Representation of all populations impacted by a disease should be the norm for all biomedical research in this country.
Third, diversifying the medical workforce now helps assure that we will continue to have diversity in medicine and science in the future. As Marian Wright Edelman said, “you can only be what you can see.” Essentially, as people of color in academic medicine, we become the visible evidence that practicing medicine can be for everyone and that if your passion is in medicine, you should pursue that dream. Many of us who are under-represented in medicine dedicate a great deal of our time to the mentorship and guidance of underrepresented medical students, graduate students, and trainees. I know that it would have been very challenging to pursue a career as a physician-scientist without the women of color before me who were my role models. Now I find great joy in paying it forward to the generations after me. I’m thrilled that the SU2C Dream Team I co-lead includes as one of its primary goals mentorship and research opportunities for early career scientists from under-represented backgrounds. The three incredible early career scientists on our Dream Team embody the ideals of community engagement, trust-building and disparities research to improve health outcomes for all patients and are the future of health equity research.
As things stand today, what are the main barriers for black men and women to enter the medical field?
Black individuals make up more than 14% of the U.S. population, yet only 5% of physicians are Black. Many Black medical providers and researchers feel alienated in their work and learning environments. Minimal access to Black mentors, the expenses tied to medical school and the implicit bias of peers or teachers creates an unwelcoming and sometimes intolerable environment for young talented Black individuals entering the U.S. medical training system. As a result, many Black individuals who may have considered medicine do not pursue it. Unfortunately, we also lose many Black individuals who begin or even complete medical training and decide that the environment is not acceptable to them.
From your perspective, can you share a few things that can be done by the community, society, or the government, to help remove those barriers?
It is imperative that the entire medical community — from our governing organizations to our health institutions and individual providers — work together to advocate for policies and programs that eliminate existing workforce disparities and provide opportunities for students and trainees of color. First, we must increase opportunities for minority youth to have exposure to science and medical fields early in life. Second, we need to identify mechanisms to help youth remain engaged in science and in education. I believe that this support must include longitudinal programs, mentorship, and funding for programs that begin in elementary school and extend through medical and graduate school. Third, we need to find ways to remove barriers to entry and retention in medical education and training. For example, we must offset or remove the financial burden of medical training in this country as the costs of medical school and delayed economic independence that occurs as a result of medical school are major barriers to entry and retention. Fourth, the medical community needs to embrace diversity so that we all feel like welcomed members. This way, the new generation of diverse doctors and researchers can thrive. Fifth, we need to ensure that more diverse talent is promoted to leadership and administration positions in both the public and private sectors of health care. We need more diverse department chairs, deans of medical schools, and directors. Lastly, we need to see more grant funding for minority scientists and a focus on supporting health disparities research. These are just a few examples of what I feel can be done in the medical community and beyond to remove the barriers to entry into the medical field.
How can our readers best continue to follow your work online?
For more information about the research that we are doing in the May Laboratory at UCLA, please visit our website where we feature our manuscripts and presentations and frequently provide links to news stories about research being done by our team. I am also active on Twitter and LinkedIn, where I often discuss research and health equity.
More information about the SU2C Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team and other SU2C-funded projects focused on health equity can be found online. On behalf of SU2C, I also encourage your readers to follow @SU2C on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?
I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, a product of the promise of immigration and of the African Diaspora. My father immigrated to the United States from Nigeria in the late 1960s and instilled in my brother and I the virtue of hard-work and perseverance. From my mother, who was raised in a very disadvantaged community in Mississippi, I inherited a strong sense of self and desire to help others who are not as fortunate as I am. Family was incredibly important to me growing up in Southern California and, today, I still draw a great deal of motivation and inspiration from my community and family. My upbringing remains the foundation for my decision to pursue a career in medicine and public health that focuses on increasing health equity globally and domestically. It led me to the University of Cambridge where I obtained a master’s degree in epidemiology and global health systems (2003), to Harvard for my medical degree (2007) and clinical training (2010), and to UCLA for my specialty training in gastroenterology and PhD in public health (2015).
Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
When I was a high school student, I had the incredible opportunity to join my father (a surgeon) on a medical mission trip to Lekki, Nigeria. Although I had an interest in science in school, I had not committed to a career in medicine and was trying to determine a career path.
Participating in this service trip was life changing. I saw with my own eyes the extremes of poverty and inequity, manifested in bed-ridden hospital patients succumbing to medical conditions that were largely preventable, and babies born into impossible living conditions. I left this trip convinced that “health is largely determined by where you happen to be born.” I would later learn, when formally studying health disparities as a master’s student, that this sentiment is the very essence of social determinants of health — our environment predicts our health outcomes. My fascination with this concept on a global scale and, later, domestically, has grown into my major area of expertise since that medical mission in 1996. My passion now is to determine how we can reverse adverse social determinants of health so that all people — regardless of background — have the opportunity for the highest possible quality of life.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
There are countless life lesson quotes that offer wisdom and inspiration. As a glass-half-full type of person, I have always been drawn to quotes that promote resilience and the power of our own choices as we navigate life’s journey. The inspirational phrase that I find myself repeating to myself most often, however, is the beginning of a quote by Helen Keller: “Life is a daring adventure or nothing…” To me, this quote represents the potential in bravery and risk-taking. To me, it means that with every challenge comes great potential. It reminds me that great successes require brave decisions and that to be truly impactful we must think big.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
In 2010, when I embarked on a career in health disparities research, many of my mentors and colleagues felt that the decision was a risky one. At that time, many people advised me to pick an area of research “that had more promise.” A Senior researcher even suggested that the decision “was a dead end.”
Everything changed in 2020. I woke-up one day, and suddenly health equity research was in high-demand due to the tragedies of the COVID-19 pandemic and horrific murder of George Floyd. Overnight, my day-to-day reality changed dramatically — from a world in which I was rarely asked to give guest lectures or Medical Grand Rounds to an academic and public-facing environment in which ABC News, the Today Show, and every major academic institution were commonly asking for appearances and lectures.
For far too long, the exploration of health inequities was overshadowed by other areas of medical research. The prevailing belief was that healthcare advancements would naturally benefit everyone equally, ignoring the complex interplay of social determinants, structural racism in healthcare, and structural inequities. However, as societal awareness has increased and voices advocating for justice have been amplified, there has been a significant shift. I feel fortunate to be a health equity researcher at a time when the world is beginning to open its eyes to the stark health disparities based on race, socioeconomic status, gender, and other factors that require much-needed attention and research.
You are a successful leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each.
Three character traits that have been most instrumental to my success as a quality improvement director at UCLA, director of the May Laboratory, and in my other leadership roles are positive attitude, integrity, and emotional intelligence.
I believe strongly in the power of a positive attitude, even in trying times. One month ago, when a national, multi-site clinical study faced an almost terminal research challenge, I know that my positive thinking, resilience, and encouragement of other team members was a primary reason why the study overcame the challenge and continues today. People and teams will always face challenges and setbacks, but a leader at the helm with a positive outlook allows us to learn from failures and overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges. Part of being a successful leader is inspiring my team during difficult times and remaining focused on long-term goals.
Leaders with great integrity have the potential to be strong leaders through the trust and respect they engender from their team. I pride myself on making decisions based on honesty and transparency with my research partners, in my clinical roles, with my mentees, and with my research team. I know that this is an important characteristic because my team tells me it is. I was encouraged in March when, after a particularly busy stretch of work weeks, one of my project coordinators asked to meet. She told me during that meeting that she values working on our team because I have created an environment where she can trust the decisions I make about our research directions and where everyone is recognized for their contributions but also held accountable for their shortcomings. To receive that feedback was very special for me.
Third, I lean strongly on my emotional intelligence in my leadership roles. The ability to understand and manage the feelings, perceptions, and emotions of others allows me to empathize, communicate effectively, and foster a positive work and research environment. As an example, I am quick to notice when a team member or mentee in my Lab has a notable change in mood or interactions with others. My role as an empathetic leader in that setting is to find the appropriate way to outreach to that individual and find creative solutions to overcome obstacles. For some team members that might include a long walk and talk in our botanical garden on campus, while it may involve a series of interventions or moderated discussions for others.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started my career in medicine,” and why?
“Pick your passion.” It is very important to pursue a career focus that aligns with your genuine interests, values, and personal fulfillment. I spent too much time in medical school contemplating careers that others wanted for me or that I perceived as most prestigious. I know now that none of those careers would have made me happy. As I often say to my mentees, pick the medical field or research area that keeps you excited enough to stay that extra hour in the hospital or stay up that extra hour to read about. Individuals beginning a career in medicine must tune into what really drives them. When pursuing something one is truly passionate about, she is more likely to have the dedication, enthusiasm, and perseverance needed to overcome challenges and achieve the highest career success.
“The journey as a physician-scientist is a marathon and not a sprint.” Physician-scientists often face many failures (e.g., failed research, unsuccessful grant application) before we begin to experience career successes. If I had given up on a career as a researcher after several unsuccessful grant submissions in 2018 and 2019, I would not have had the opportunity to conduct the eight population health and community-partners research studies that my team is currently engaged in. I would have missed the opportunity to participate in the research and advocacy that I feel so passionate about, including the Stand up to Cancer Colorectal Cancer Health Equity Dream Team and a recent opportunity to speak at the White House Cancer Moonshot Forum. Just as a marathon is a grueling race that demands endurance and pacing oneself for the long haul, the journey of a researcher involves a similar long-term endurance, patience, and persistence.
“Prioritize your health.” Physicians often take our own health for granted. For this reason, I feel that it is important for early career physician-scientists to hear often and early to always prioritize their physical and mental health. I have witnessed promising researchers burn-out and suffer preventable medical problems due to personal neglect. In order to conduct high-quality science over a long career, well-being and self-care are key.
“If you are going to pick a partner, pick a supportive partner.” I have witnessed too many women in the height of their professional career have to step away from their science to meet demands in the home. For this reason, I share with all of my female mentees that having a supportive partner who is dedicated to your success is essential in the journey as a physician-scientist. Without understanding the implications of partner choice, I was fortunate to pick a partner who believes that my career is just as important as his and who believes that both mothers and fathers can have active roles in the home and in raising children. For me, this support has been a major factor in my success in the workplace.
“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” The culture in medicine is currently quite challenging. The high-stress environment, hierarchical systems, and competitive nature of the field have, unfortunately, led to a “unkind culture.” Having this awareness and knowing that it is always better to take the high road can keep one out of trouble. For example, in times of heated debate in patient care, I recommend being kind to colleague consultants, even if the favor is not returned. Kindness and collaboration allows us to focus on patient care. More times than not, this approach leads to fewer regrets later when emotions have cooled. But taking this approach, early career physicians can help promote a culture shift in medicine to one of respect and collaboration, increased well-being among colleagues, and a kinder and more compassionate healthcare environment.
If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
My movement would be about encouraging empathy. With more empathy in the world, we will become more attuned to the challenges and needs of others. Empathy can foster compassion, bridge social divides, and promote a more considerate society. The ripple effect will be a more just, equitable, and harmonious world, where the well-being of all people is prioritized and the potential for positive collective impact is realized. In a movement like this, pressing issues such as inequities, poverty, poor health, discrimination, and environmental degradation will inspire collective action to find innovative solutions to address adverse social determinants of health globally.
Is there a person in the world or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
There are so many individuals who have had a profound global impact and who I would be honored to speak with. As I attempt to answer this question, I find myself struggling with a tie between Michelle Obama and Melinda Gates. But at this moment, I am going to go with Melinda Gates. In my opinion, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is a prime example of how humanity and philanthropy can lead to global social justice. As co-founder of the foundation, Melinda Gates has contributed significantly to the vision of the organization. And as the woman in the dynamic Gates duo, she has been an incredible role model for generations. I had the pleasure of hearing her speak at an event at UCLA two years ago and found myself wanting to learn so much more about her life, her vision, and how she sees the world. Her work has saved or improved millions of lives globally with interventions to promote gender equality, address racial/ethnic inequities, improve access to education, reduce poverty, increase access to life-saving healthcare and improve health outcomes–oftentimes in forgotten regions of the world. As a woman deeply committed to identifying novel ways for us to continue to improve health equity globally, I feel I could learn a great deal from this visionary leader.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
