Einstein Celebrates Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
People of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) descent have made tremendous contributions to the United States and beyond. During May, we honor the diverse heritages and accomplishments of our API community members. Einstein’s diverse workers and students, 30% of whom identify as Asian or Pacific Islander, enrich our community.
Students
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Thammatat (Juwee) Vorawandthanachai
M.D. Student
Volunteer, Food Justice and Medicine
Member, Einstein Anti-Racism Committee
Career Highlight: Bringing an understanding of health and illness to help patients gain more insight into their disease processes and bodily functions.
Career Advice: Continue to fight back against assumptions and stereotypes, and find the people who are in your corner. Don't give in to “imposter syndrome.” Build a support system of friends and mentors who will continue to encourage you and your goals.
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Asian Pacific American Medical Student Association (APAMSA)
Einstein’s APAMSA board aims to address those issues important to Asian American and Pacific Islander medical students.
Alumni
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Lynda Chin, M.D. ’93
Chair, Genomic Medicine, the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Scientific Director, Institute for Applied Cancer Science
Principal Investigator, TCGA Genome Data Analysis Center of the Broad Institute
Career Highlight: Participating in the Cancer Genome Atlas project at the intersection of technology, data, analytics, and biology. It led me to excel at integrating information across domains, since I was a biologist in the genomics community and a genomic scientist in the biology community.
Career Advice: Data will drive advances in science and medical practice. Gain skills in data, computer science, and engineering. They will give you an advantage—a differentiation that makes you stand out. Then work hard and work smart.
Sherry Huang, MD ’94
Vice Chancellor, Rutgers Biomedical Health Science Center
Career Highlights: Identifying a candidate gene mutation in a patient with Lynch syndrome and developing a career in caring for children with early-onset colon cancer risk.
Career Advice: Don’t give up when you face trials, for each builds on those that came before and opens up opportunities for you that you would not have recognized or appreciated prior to encountering them.
Faculty and Staff
Min Um-Mandhyan
Director, Alumni Relations
Career Highlights: I’m proud to be part of equity and change in science and medicine. I’m drawn to my work because education is where the future begins. Supporting and realizing social mobility in medical education are the highlights of my career, and my true calling.
Career Advice: Break norms that prevent you from growing or thriving. Don’t be afraid to be the change you want to see.
Rubayat (Ricky) Qadeer, M.D.
Assistant Professor, Family and Social Medicine
Assistant Medical Director in Education and Advocacy, Bronx Health Collective
Career Highlight: Cofounding the South Bronx Community Health Leaders, a pathway program for students historically underrepresented in medicine, which merged my passion for medical education and community advocacy. It’s been rewarding to mentor students and watch them develop.
Career Advice: It’s okay to ask for help. No one is able to do this work alone, and it’s normal to experience burnout, anxiety, and/or depression in a career as demanding as medicine. And as someone who has often struggled with “imposter syndrome,” I will add: know that you DO belong in the room.
Michelle Ng Gong, M.D., M.S.
Professor, Medicine; Epidemiology & Population Health
Chief, Medicine Division of Critical Care; Division of Pulmonary Medicine
Director, Medicine Critical Care Research
Career Highlight: The opportunity to translate research into clinical care to improve patient outcomes.
Career Advice: The best solution to underrepresentation in science and medicine is for you to join the field. Then seek out others to amplify your voice and contribution.
Edward Chu, M.D., M.M.S.
Director, Cancer Center
Vice President, Albert Einstein Cancer Medicine
Professor, Medicine; Molecular Pharmacology
Career Highlights: Receiving a lifetime achievement award from the Chinese American Hematologist and Oncologist Network, being named honorary professor by the University of Athens, and my appointment as director of the cancer center.
Career Advice: Be inquisitive, ask questions, and work hard consistently. Maintain a strong character, develop your interpersonal skills, and treat everyone with respect and dignity.
Preeti Viswanathan, M.B.B.S.
Assistant Professor, Pediatrics
Career Highlights: Training my first fellow, being asked to mentor, receiving a national presentation invitation, and achieving meaningful outcomes for patients.
Career Advice: There will undoubtedly be many challenges along the way, but if this is your passion, don’t give up. Your presence in the field matters and is essential for the advancement of science and medicine.
Ritesh Aggarwal, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Albert Einstein Cancer Center
Career Highlights: Clearing the most-competitive exams for entry into the best science and tech colleges in India in 2004, and building my scientific acumen.
Career Advice: Seek support from community members to alleviate concerns. Don’t let discrimination discourage us from wanting, seeking, and getting the best for ourselves in academia.