Wexner Medical Center at Ohio State University has selected Dr. Chyke A. Doubeni to serve as chief health equity officer and lead the Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, starting July 1.
Doubeni will also be the associate director for diversity, equity and inclusion for the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute and will hold a faculty position in the Department of family and community medicine at Ohio State University College of Medicine.
In addition to his roles within the medical center, Doubeni will work closely with Ohio State University’s Office of Academic Affairs. He will be a leader with the RAISE initiative focused on recruiting new faculty who have a research emphasis on health equity topics. Working with the Office of Academic Affairs and health science colleges, he will lead the development and implementation of a new Center for Health Equity, an interdisciplinary incubator for collaboration in health equity research across campus that will provide opportunities for professional development and on-the-job training.
“Chyke has dedicated her career to promoting health and well-being in disadvantaged populations through research and an intentional focus on improving access to timely and effective healthcare,” said Dr Andrew Thomas, co-leader at interim and clinical director at the Wexner Ohio State Medical Center. “His exceptional experience as a physician, researcher and administrator will further our commitment to diversity, inclusion and health equity and will position our institution as a preeminent leader in promoting health equity in our community and nationwide.”
Doubeni is tasked with leading the state of Ohio’s continuing efforts to address the factors behind inequalities in health care that negatively impact marginalized groups. With a land grant focused on research, education, and patient care that improve the lives of people in central Ohio and throughout the state, Doubeni will establish the vision and strategic direction of the medical center’s health equity and initiatives of the healthy community in partnership with leaders, faculty, staff and students.
“The State of Ohio has a fundamental commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence,” said Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam, executive vice president and president of Ohio State University. “In Ohio and across the country, there are many populations that are not in optimal health. Therefore, there is a lot of work to be done to achieve health equity. By helping recruit faculty whose research promotes health equity, Chyke will enhance our world-class research program while reducing disparities in health outcomes for the communities we serve. “
Doubeni arrives in the state of Ohio from the Mayo Clinic, where he is director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research. Additionally, he serves as Director of the Community Involvement Program at the Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Deputy Director for Community Outreach and Engagement, Including Minority Accumulation on the Executive Committee of the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center, and professor of family medicine at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science.
Nationally recognized for his work in cancer prevention and public health, Doubeni is a member of the National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, as well as current section editor for the diversity, equity and inclusion of ‘American Gastroenterological Association’s Gastroenterology magazine. From 2017 to 2021, he was one of 16 members of the US Preventive Services Task Force, which makes evidence-based recommendations on clinical prevention services to promote the health of all Americans.
Doubeni received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) from the University of Lagos College of Medicine in Nigeria. After further training in the UK, she completed a major in family medicine from Duke University and a major in preventive medicine from the University of Massachusetts, where she also earned a Master of Public Health (MPH). She has also completed a scholarship with the National Cancer Institute Scholars Program.
Doubeni will succeed Dr Cheryl Lee, who has been acting director since July 2021 and is credited with launching the Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Lee will continue to chair the Department of Urology.