Chyke Doubeni, MD, MPH, joined the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center as chief health equity officer July 1, 2022. Dr. Doubeni also serves in The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute as associate director for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and holds a faculty appointment as a professor in the Department of Family and Community Medicine.
In addition to his roles within the medical center, Dr. Doubeni works closely with the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA). He is a leader in the RAISE initiative focused on recruiting new faculty who have a research focus on health equity topics. Working with OAA and the health science colleges, he leads the development and implementation of a new Center for Health Equity within the university that will serve as an interdisciplinary incubator for health equity research collaboration across campus and provide opportunities for professional development and training in the field.
Dr. 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 and foster more equitable care and health outcomes. With our land-grant focus on research, education and patient care that improves the lives of those in our community and our state, Dr. Doubeni leads the vision and strategic direction of the medical center’s health equity and healthy community initiatives in collaboration with leaders, faculty, staff and learners.
Dr. Doubeni came to Ohio State from Mayo Clinic, where he served as the inaugural director of the Mayo Clinic Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research. In addition, he served 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, he is a current member of the National Institutes of Health’s National Cancer Institute Board of Scientific Advisors, as well as a section editor for diversity, equity and inclusion of the American Gastroenterological Association’s Gastroenterology journal. He served from 2017 to 2021 as one of 16 members of the prestigious U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which makes evidence-based recommendations about clinical preventive services to promote the health of all Americans and beyond. In 2021, he served as the lead author for the USPSTF’s report: “Addressing Systemic Racism Through Clinical Preventive Service Recommendations from the US Preventive Services Task Force” published in JAMA.
At the Wexner Medical Center, he brings together the diversity, equity and inclusion, anti-racism and civic and community engagement efforts. Under his leadership, we will develop new and enhance existing clinical programs and care delivery mechanisms, as well as community engagement and outreach programs, to equitably improve health outcomes in the communities we serve.
Dr. Doubeni received his Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Lagos College of Medicine in Nigeria. After completing 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 degree and served as the medical school’s interim associate vice provost for diversity. He also completed a fellowship with the National Cancer Institute Scholars Program.
Dr. Doubeni’s numerous accolades include a 2010 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers from the President of the United States for accomplishments in research, mentoring and community service and the 2019 Sadie Gerson Distinguished Scholar Award from the University of Pittsburgh.
Prior to joining Mayo Clinic, Dr. Doubeni was the Harrison McCrea Dickson, M.D. and Clifford C. Baker, M.D. Presidential Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and served as chair of the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
