The pandemic changed the way we work and relate to one another, bringing burnout and stress for many — effects that linger years later. In 2023, a group in the Duke Department of Pediatrics came together to do something about that. They were determined to find better ways to help people feel connected, build relationships, and address conflict, laying the foundation for what has become the Restorative Practice Ambassador Program.

They may lead different employee resource groups (ERGs), but Magaly Guerrero and Antonio Jones share a similar vision for what belonging at Duke can look like. It’s a vision that will guide them as the newly named leaders of Duke University School of Medicine’s two ERGs.

Lauren Brinkley-Rubinstein, PhD, an associate professor in the Department of Population Health Sciences at Duke, focuses on how the trauma of incarceration — whether from flooded cells during climate disasters or the “extreme deprivation” of solitary confinement — shapes people’s health long after release.

In 2021, Tiffany Adams, PT, DPT, MBA, PhD, and Tomeico Faison, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, partnered to create an initiative to empower future health professionals with skills to make informed financial decisions.

Salime’s journey from ESL student to science presenter shows BOOST’s power to transform lives, combining research, mentorship, and creativity to inspire STEM dreams.

For most of rural America, access to clinical research addressing rural health — and to physician-researchers focused on this area — is extremely limited. According to Danny Benjamin, MD, PhD, MPH, that’s simply not sustainable for long-term health in most of the country. As a leader of a program designed to develop future researchers through hands-on experience and mentorship, Benjamin is working to address this shortage and bring high-quality clinical trials to rural communities.

As a provider who primarily cares for patients living with dementia at the Duke Geriatrics Evaluation and Treatment Clinic, Liza Genao, MD, understands how important it is for patients to feel understood and seen. That understanding is what motivates her to teach medical Spanish to future doctors through a course called Advanced Clinically Centered Education in Spanish (ACCES).

As director of innovation in professional pathways within the Duke Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, Tomeico Faison, OTD, OTR/L, is helping future generations of occupational therapists of all backgrounds discover the joys of the profession.

When Patrick Smith, PhD, first began his academic training in bioethics, his uncle, who was a civil rights leader in Alabama for 53 years, taught Smith an important lesson: don't forget about the people. In this month’s spotlight, Smith shares how despite working in a field that can sometimes seem removed from the people, his uncle’s words have stayed with him.

Growing up in the rural South, third-year Duke medical student Dorothy Gheorghiu was often the only Jewish person in her school, her neighborhood, and other settings. These experiences made her keenly aware of the importance of inclusion and belonging, and she was grateful to find a welcoming community when she came first came to Duke as an undergrad. Now as president of Duke’s Jewish Medical Student Association, she is helping other Jewish students enjoy that same sense of community and belonging.