Umbereen S Nehal MD MPH: who is this person? Several people have been asking
A thread
Where am I from? Hooboy.
Let’s say, citizen of the world, human ping pong ball. Third culture kid. Genetic mutt
Born: 🇺🇸
🇵🇰 parents - when my parents born colonial rule, pre-Pakistan
A thread
Where am I from? Hooboy.
Let’s say, citizen of the world, human ping pong ball. Third culture kid. Genetic mutt
Born: 🇺🇸
🇵🇰 parents - when my parents born colonial rule, pre-Pakistan
To thoroughly annoy my Twitter bestie, @DrvanTilburg
Am an ENFP - a cross between Snoopy, Robin Willians, Ellen Degeneres, Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, Upton Sinclair
I border on ENTP - love new info and love to challenge in order to break through barriers or limitations
Am an ENFP - a cross between Snoopy, Robin Willians, Ellen Degeneres, Dr. Seuss, Charles Dickens, Upton Sinclair
I border on ENTP - love new info and love to challenge in order to break through barriers or limitations
My great-grandfather was given title "Khan Bahadur" (brave). As a judge, a brown man under Colonial rule, he threw the book at a British attorney. "Learn the law" if in his courtroom. Hence my stiff moral backbone
My mom & me:
(She loves this song)
My mom & me:
(She loves this song)
A long thread as I apply lessons I recall hearing from my grandfather & mother. I realize remain relevant today. I a lot here. Meandering. I do this to try to look at the same thing 20 different ways, form connections, find parallels. Distill. Get to core
On/off, most childhood in American oil compound in 🇸🇦 - my engineer dad, graduated from @USC
= Third culture kid
Am grateful for a lot of things about my childhood
But so many levels of bullying.
I started off a feisty, creative kid but gradually got more and more quiet.
= Third culture kid
Am grateful for a lot of things about my childhood
But so many levels of bullying.
I started off a feisty, creative kid but gradually got more and more quiet.
Went to this boarding school: nurturing & supportive. It was a safe space to grow, develop - be yourself, don’t compare or compete, develop your voice
Only this year, I processed: I was a full pay student (dad’s company paid tuition) +
history of school pretty conservative
Only this year, I processed: I was a full pay student (dad’s company paid tuition) +
history of school pretty conservative
Next stop, Wellesley, but was going thru bunch of “ABCD” & young Muslim woman in America stuff & to the usual young adult growing pains
All these experiences inform my approach as a pediatrician or policy maker or innovator now
(tweet part of a thread)
All these experiences inform my approach as a pediatrician or policy maker or innovator now
(tweet part of a thread)
The assumption: Muslim women are controlled by fathers. Arguably true as my dad is the one who filled out my medical school application for Pakistan. Talk about culture shock. Also, given my American accent I was always at risk for being kidnapped if alone or unprotected.
While there was also gossip and social bullying there too, nosy relatives, it was the first time I became comfortable in my own skin, literally because I was normal & had “right” skin color. Pakistani women are absolutely incredible. I was there when a woman was prime minister
I learned #communityhealth that was truly respectful partnership with #communities (I only later on in adulthood realized it was not the typical construct in the West). Many #healthcare #innovation in U.S. for #access & #quality now, I saw then as norm
aku.edu/mcpk/chs/Pages…
aku.edu/mcpk/chs/Pages…
I did a stint at @mghfc doing a research while working for an inspiring woman who still remains a friend/aunt - she was very ethical and never exploitative, despite my being a “nobody” foreign grad. No matter how busy she is, she makes time to meet me.
einstein.yu.edu/alumni/awards-…
einstein.yu.edu/alumni/awards-…
This is my residency mentor and I continually ask myself if I am living up to the honor of having been a “Feigin mentee”
With his mentorship + a coalition, we fought & won to overturn unfair changes to SCHIP/CHIP
@bcmhouston @TexasChildrens #pediatrics
With his mentorship + a coalition, we fought & won to overturn unfair changes to SCHIP/CHIP
@bcmhouston @TexasChildrens #pediatrics
You have to watch this. I miss Dr. Feigin so, so much. I naively thought all academics had his #integrity #ethics #compassion #intellect.
(I also thought all department chairs and medical college presidents loved reading my novel-like emails.)
alchetron.com/Ralph-Feigin
(I also thought all department chairs and medical college presidents loved reading my novel-like emails.)
alchetron.com/Ralph-Feigin
I have the most awesome residency classmates like
‘Dr. Sogol Pahlavan, a Houston pediatrician,...‘These kids are still here; their chronic disease isn’t going away just because they’re losing health coverage.’”
Fighting for kids at the margins.
💪🏿💪🏽💪🏻
nytimes.com/2019/10/22/ups…
‘Dr. Sogol Pahlavan, a Houston pediatrician,...‘These kids are still here; their chronic disease isn’t going away just because they’re losing health coverage.’”
Fighting for kids at the margins.
💪🏿💪🏽💪🏻
nytimes.com/2019/10/22/ups…
Residency years pics. Met woman like a sister. She is an independent woman who navigate culture, career, family, chronic illness deftly and wisely. When I got diagnosed w/ #edometriosis #fibroids #migraines etc, she was an inspiration and role model for self care & resilience
Med school. Was yearbook editor cuz noticed one group would write snarky things about others, so I ensured fair, respectful representation of everybody. Did silly stuff others ridiculed. I never really fit in but had fun times still. Was everybody’s friend & part of no clique
Dr. Feigin support got me full scholarship to attend @HarvardChanSPH for my MPH. My fellowship work revealed #disparities by race in satisfaction scores for a technology in #emergencymedicine - platform presentation at @PASMeeting
Fun times. Amazing crew. Lifelong friends
Fun times. Amazing crew. Lifelong friends
During residency constantly felt like I was worst possible resident - only when I graduated learned I was well respected by my peers. My toughest night of residency I admitted 22 patients by myself without crosscover. I nearly quit then except could not dump my work on colleagues
Btw, when 14 gas masks distributed because 1st Gulf War. Gas masks distributed. My mom worried #ACES - send or not? Finally I decided for parents. Next day on plane to U.S. My parents stayed where bombs dropped to keep a job. Family separation photos from border? Triggered
The deeper I have gotten into #pediatrics #disparities #ACES work, more I have unpacked my own past trauma that I never acknowledged
Model minorities are perfect, silent, obey, “lean in”
We are the mammies, even when we are still children ourselves
Model minorities are perfect, silent, obey, “lean in”
We are the mammies, even when we are still children ourselves
Also this - I was hospitalized 3x as a child. Only now when I have been trained to show empathy & compassion to family and kids do I realize how little empathy or compassion I was shown as a child. I now realize, this was not healthy or normal or ethical
That’s why I am grateful to have had the opportunity to do #MedEd work like this
Partnership with families
mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/m…
And this
#minoritiesinmedicine #pediatrics
Partnership with families
mededportal.org/doi/10.15766/m…
And this
#minoritiesinmedicine #pediatrics
And I tell stories for families to explain why one story is a predictable outcome of broken systems
This was on my birthday - I could not pass up the opportunity for #advocacy
Yes, am wearing white coat in public - common in advocacy
(Child’s story common, not identifiable)
This was on my birthday - I could not pass up the opportunity for #advocacy
Yes, am wearing white coat in public - common in advocacy
(Child’s story common, not identifiable)
Am grateful that my frontline and community work also earned me a place in the room where there were otherwise grey haired men of #healthpolicy. Even got a personal invitation to the White House by President Obama for my #communityhealth and #advocacy for the Muslim #community
I have been able to teach on #advocacy at @pasmeeting and @SocietyGIM @BostonChildrens - even to accountants in Houston #SGIM #pediatrics
+ 2 novel electives in #healthpolicy
+ 2 novel electives in #healthpolicy
While none of this #healthpolicy #advocacy work was paid, purely driven by passion to do the right thing and I paid my own hotel & travel costs, I did earn my place in high impact settings. I got to work with the #SurgeonGeneral more than once. My neice’s #flatstanley did too
The inauguration ceremony was awesome, but frigid. Met a really cool person who remains a friend. Will say the inaugural ball was better for the photo opp than as an experience. The highlight of the night was eating at Ravi kabob after, yes in a ballgown and 4.5” heels.
It was really amazing to see a long time colleague & friend get sworn in as Surgeon General - he often describes how his grandfather was a farmer in India @vivek_murthy
Most meaningful: what I learned @AKUGlobal to disseminate #communityhealth best practices to #community settings like my interfaith grant. We funded 3 churches & 3 masjids for AEDs and on site #CPR training per @American_Heart standards, ensuring gender balance in classes
I’ve skipped over at least a third to half of my CV. Some insight on how I think of systems, the payer-provider interface, #healthpolicy #valuebasedcare with @Ackermanjay of @reveleer
reveleer.com/blog/value-bas…
reveleer.com/blog/value-bas…
Completed my term for @PCORI as co-chair of #Healthcare Delivery and #Disparities #Research - system redesign to reduce gaps
Was so much fun to learn about research happening all over the country and have deep respect for the true commitment to including patients at the table
Was so much fun to learn about research happening all over the country and have deep respect for the true commitment to including patients at the table
Important to give back. My former boss at #Medicaid and I are alums of @HarvardChanSPH and nominated her
Got to mentor via my #publichealth elective
And for one mentee, I attended her wedding serving as her big sis. I am so proud of her - she now reminds me of my own advice!
Got to mentor via my #publichealth elective
And for one mentee, I attended her wedding serving as her big sis. I am so proud of her - she now reminds me of my own advice!
Speaking of #Medicaid - this captures some of the work I did there #quality #VBC #tripleaim #populationhealth #healthcare #cms
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.117…
journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.117…
A publication with the @AmerAcadPeds on #PCMH and #carecoordination in #pediatrics
Another publication was cited by @AHRQNews as breaking down silos is pro-#safety and #quality
pcmh.ahrq.gov/citations-sear…
researchgate.net/publication/30…
Another publication was cited by @AHRQNews as breaking down silos is pro-#safety and #quality
pcmh.ahrq.gov/citations-sear…
researchgate.net/publication/30…
A couple examples of work I did for @AmerAcadPeds on #PCMH and #pediatrics
@acgme compliant curriculum disseminated to all programs
+ curriculum for CT DPH on medical home for #CYSHCN #disabilities
Was an elected representative to the board of the MA chapter of the AAP
@acgme compliant curriculum disseminated to all programs
+ curriculum for CT DPH on medical home for #CYSHCN #disabilities
Was an elected representative to the board of the MA chapter of the AAP
Continue to volunteer for #communityhealth to disseminate free tax-payer supported federal #publichealth materials to communities of color, immigrant & faith communities. Was invited by @NIHDirector to advise on
allofus.nih.gov/about
+ wrote book chapter on all this
@CMSGov
allofus.nih.gov/about
+ wrote book chapter on all this
@CMSGov
More recently I got to go back to @akuglobal in #Pakistan, invited by @ayesha_mian1 @amian74 @AdilHaiderMD & coordinated with @ZainabASamad @SarahNadeemMD on #genderequity #innovation #Entrepreneurship primarily event with @ELAMProgram - gave several lectures, including in Urdu!
Yes, salsa dancing after my lecture (shoes in pic) @amian74
m.facebook.com/watch/?v=80645…
When I see people get upset about healthcare workers dancing as “unprofessional” - I wonder at their cultural tolerance (too narrow scope of culture)
Things so fun now! Vs when I was student
m.facebook.com/watch/?v=80645…
When I see people get upset about healthcare workers dancing as “unprofessional” - I wonder at their cultural tolerance (too narrow scope of culture)
Things so fun now! Vs when I was student
I got to attend two qawwalis! Heaven. @ayesha_mian1
Attended one with my aunt who is the head of ob/gyn and cares for women with hemoglobin less than 5gm/dL, gives lectures all over the country. We had long chats on #communityhealth #socialjustice #WomensHealth #mentalhealth
Attended one with my aunt who is the head of ob/gyn and cares for women with hemoglobin less than 5gm/dL, gives lectures all over the country. We had long chats on #communityhealth #socialjustice #WomensHealth #mentalhealth
More lectures at @AKUGlobal one #emergencymedicine resident was confident - got him to come to front to show posture: grounded & flexible (goalie stance) vs rigid & proud. Stay close to ground (humble) for #leadership in #quality & #safety listen to staff & to patients @amian74
For fun, another @akuglobal classmate was visiting that week for her sister’s wedding & was included + beach trip with @ayesha_mian1 & @amian74 reminding me of good old times with my family when visiting #Pakistan as a child. These *are* my roots. I missed my grandmother.
Back in U.S. attended #hackathon thru @YaleHackHealth and @MITSloan while also developing #SDoH #HIT solution. One group stayed together & submitted a grant on #loneliness in #geriatrics
Was invited to represent #Healthcare to a breakfast with senator @SenGillibrand fellow alum of @EmmaWillard - we had met at reunion - she is mentoring & supporting #womeninleadership
Then there is my #socialmedia work. I am better at #linkedin than #medtwitter
linkedin.com/pulse/12-top-v…
linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin…
linkedin.com/pulse/15-femal…
beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-r…
linkedin.com/pulse/12-top-v…
linkedin.com/pulse/linkedin…
linkedin.com/pulse/15-femal…
beckershospitalreview.com/rankings-and-r…
Grateful for opportunity to speak through @becker_sbecker on both #womeninleadership and #minoritiesinmedicine to translate #MedTwitter & academic or #healthpolicy to language understood by #business executives
We work together for change
+ Spoke on #LinkedIn with @ETSshow
We work together for change
+ Spoke on #LinkedIn with @ETSshow
I started a consulting practice
nehalgroup.com
My great aunt, ob/gyn, founded 2 health centers in #Pakistan. She was her own CEO and supported inner city “kutchi abadi” residents for #education & #health #WomeninBusiness
@MITSloan:
legatum.mit.edu
nehalgroup.com
My great aunt, ob/gyn, founded 2 health centers in #Pakistan. She was her own CEO and supported inner city “kutchi abadi” residents for #education & #health #WomeninBusiness
@MITSloan:
legatum.mit.edu
This is where my head is at now
linkedin.com/posts/usnehal_…
What if instead of broken rungs & #glasscliff of old system, we
Ditch perfection
Make progress
Change incentives
Take a leap of faith
Defy gravity
Create new value with disruptive #innovation & #Entrepreneurship
linkedin.com/posts/usnehal_…
What if instead of broken rungs & #glasscliff of old system, we
Ditch perfection
Make progress
Change incentives
Take a leap of faith
Defy gravity
Create new value with disruptive #innovation & #Entrepreneurship
Whether “climb every mountain” or Allama Iqbal’s Khudi: you have to make your own way forward
Both my father & my grandfather left their homes to seek opportunity in new cities & countries. Change is scary & hard but necessary for growth and opportunity
Both my father & my grandfather left their homes to seek opportunity in new cities & countries. Change is scary & hard but necessary for growth and opportunity
“Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow.”
-Mary Anne Radmacher
/fin
-Mary Anne Radmacher
/fin
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