Ohio State appoints Dr. Chyke A. Doubeni to chief health equity officer role
Position focuses on addressing underlying drivers of disparities in health care
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has selected Dr. Chyke A. Doubeni to serve as chief health equity officer and lead the Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, effective 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 appointment in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at The Ohio State University College of Medicine.
In addition to his roles within the medical center, Doubeni will work closely with The Ohio State University 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 the health science colleges, he will lead the development and implementation of a new Center for Health Equity, an interdisciplinary incubator for health equity research collaboration across campus that will provide opportunities for professional development and training in the field.
“Chyke has dedicated his career to promoting health and well-being in underserved populations through research and an intentional focus on improving access to timely and effective health care,” said Dr. Andrew Thomas, interim co-leader and chief clinical officer at Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. “His exceptional experience as a physician, researcher and administrator will further our commitment to diversity, inclusion and health equity, and position our institution as a preeminent leader in advancing health equity in our community and nationally.”
Doubeni is tasked with leading Ohio State’s continued efforts to address the underlying drivers of disparities in health care that adversely impact marginalized groups. With a land-grant focus on research, education and patient care that improves the lives of people in central Ohio and across the state, Doubeni will set the vision and strategic direction of the medical center’s health equity and healthy community initiatives in collaboration with leaders, faculty, staff and learners.
“Ohio State has a fundamental commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence,” said Dr. Melissa L. Gilliam, executive vice president and provost of The Ohio State University. “In Ohio and across the country, there are many populations that do not have optimal health. Therefore, there is much work to be done to achieve health equity. By helping recruit faculty whose research furthers health equity, Chyke will enhance our world-class research program while narrowing disparities in health outcomes for the communities that we serve.”
Doubeni comes to Ohio State from Mayo Clinic, where he is the director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research. In addition, he serves as director of the community engagement program in the Mayo Clinic Center for Clinical and Translational Science, deputy director for community outreach and engagement, including minority accrual on the Mayo Clinic Cancer Center Executive Committee, and professor of family medicine at 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 diversity, equity and inclusion of the American Gastroenterological Association’s Gastroenterology journal. From 2017 – 2021, he served as one of 16 members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which makes evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive 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 additional training in the United Kingdom, he completed a family medicine residency at Duke University and a preventive medicine residency at the University of Massachusetts, where he also earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. He also completed a fellowship with the National Cancer Institute Scholars Program.
Doubeni will succeed Dr. Cheryl Lee, who has served as interim 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.
