Adys Mendizabal, MD, MS
Assistant Professor
Department of Neurology / Institute of Society and Genetics
University of California Los Angeles (UCLA)
Q. Please tell me about your career path, and research.
A. I’m a movement disorders faculty member, and I study health disparities in neurology. My interest in health disparities has been driven by my family's experiences and challenges accessing healthcare. I’m Afro-Latina. I was born in Cuba. We moved here when I was ten, and Cuba has universal health care (and tons of other problems from a political standpoint). When we moved here, it was pretty evident that we didn't have the same healthcare access as in Cuba. There were many challenges common to immigrant families: learning a new language, culture, and country. My parents also experienced unemployment at different moments when I was growing up, which meant a lack of health insurance. They also experienced mental health issues that were more difficult due to a lack of access to health insurance. That really drove my interest in pursuing a career in medicine. Initially, I thought I wanted to be a psychiatrist. I witnessed the mental health issues that particularly my dad, a physician, experienced. I remembered how much he loved practicing medicine. And then I also saw how much he missed being able to practice medicine when we moved to the US and he was unable to practice. So that was also a motivator to consider medicine. I wonder, “what is it about medicine that has this strong hold on people who practice it?” So that's what drew me into medicine. As an undergrad, I learned about Huntington's disease, and I switched from being a psychology major to a neuroscience major. That was my first exposure to neurology through a class with a video of a family with Huntington’s. And that was my first exposure and initial in neurology and Huntington’s disease. I then went to medical school at Temple University in Philadelphia. I wanted to attend a medical school that cared for an underserved community. Most of the patients at Temple were Black and Latino, either on Medicaid or uninsured patients. I actually did not want to do research at all because I only thought of research as basic science research and being in a lab, and you know, and I also did not see people that looked like me doing research. I did not see Black women or Latina women doing research. So I thought I just wanted to be a full-time clinician for a while. Then, at Temple, I did a Master's in Urban Bioethics and learned more about social determinants of health and how to research the intersection of social factors, ethics, and health. And then, I came across the work by Allison Willis. I then realized that there are women of color who are neurologists studying health disparities in neurology and are studying it, not just in stroke but other neurological conditions. So that was a big motivator for pursuing a research career, seeing that there were people who looked like me doing this type of research. It was that plus positive experiences doing this type of research (compared to earlier college experiences with basic science/lab work).
Q. What elements of diversity, equity and inclusion are most important to you in your career?
A. It's hard to pick one. I think they are all important. I would argue that, probably, diversity and inclusion. When we're trying to advocate for health equity, we need some component of lived experience because it can be very impactful in advocating for health equity and convincing stakeholders. Diversity of lived experience can help other people understand why this is important. And then not just diversity but true inclusion. You want to be in spaces where your opinions and ideas are valued. I think that has a trickle-down effect because you can then show a trainee, medical student, or undergraduate student that it is possible to pursue a career in medicine. You can then use that privilege as a physician to give back to all those communities that need it the most. There's a lot of data to show that patients do better when they have physicians that look like them (racial-cultural-language concordance). Hopefully, we can have a physician population representative of all patients. But, even if that's not possible, being in spaces where you can educate your colleagues can go a long way. So I think they're all very important, but I think diversity and inclusion can have a trickle-down effect and promote health equity.
Q. What's best career advice you've received thus far?
A. More than a single piece of advice, it’s a thread of ideas I've heard in different settings or iterations. I’ll add some context. As a medical student, I was involved in EDI and student government committees. In these committees, I would hear comments from faculty members that were simply not true. For example, a faculty member once said, “all underrepresented minorities get a scholarship.” I did not have a scholarship. That statement was untrue. I remember going to some of my more trusted mentors in these committees, saying: “That's not true. I don't have a scholarship. You can look at my financial aid package.” I remember these mentors saying, “You're here for a reason. We want to hear from you because your opinion and voice are valued, which is exactly why you're here. You have our support. We back you up, but speak up.” I heard some iteration of that throughout my time as a medical student. As a resident, I remember one of my mentors saying something similar. “You are a strong advocate. Do not stop being yourself. Do not stop advocating for what you believe is right.” It has a vulnerability component: speaking up and saying, “No, I don't agree, or, hey, this is what I think should happen.” If you are in a place that values you and treasures you, then that attitude will be celebrated, and it will be something that people will be thankful for; and if you are in a place in which they do not value you, then that's not the place for you. So the best advice has been some iteration: Stay true to yourself. You're here for a reason. Speak up. Advocate. I think that's been good advice, and I think it's served me well so far.
Q. What does Black History Month mean to you?
A. I think it's a good moment to reflect on all the accomplishments despite all the challenges. I think it's a good moment to reflect on the strength that black people have had since forever, independent of where you are in the African diaspora. There's so much that we've had to experience and endure and persevere. So I think it's a good moment to reflect on our strengths. But, with these reflections, there can be a combination of frustration as well - you could look at it and be angry to some extent - we should be doing much better, and racism should not continue to be an issue. We shouldn't continue to face so many different barriers. But then, at the same time, it's also a time to use those realities as a motivation. To say: “this is why we do what we do, and these are all the champions and leaders that did it before us.” It allows you to reflect on how much people have sacrificed for a common good, black liberation, and equal opportunities and access; sadly, we're not nearly where we should be. But it's a perfect moment to reflect on our strengths and be motivated to move forward.
Q. Who is an inspirational black historical figure that inspires you? And why?
A. I could not just name one; I can through a long list. I admire the work of MLK, Malcolm X, and Toussaint Louverture, leading the Haitian Revolution. I’m Cuban, and one of our most significant generals, Antonio Maceo, does not get enough recognition for his role in the Cuban independence wars. It's hard. I cannot think of one because everyone has been instrumental in where we are. And even outside of a single figure, there’s also the Black Panther movement, a collective of individuals. All these figures have in common that they have sacrificed themselves in one way or another for the common good of Black people and have made things a little better for Black people throughout the world. With Black History Month, there are many reflections of, for example, who was MLK or Malcolm X. Even if they had different philosophies and approaches, they were both very much needed at some point. That’s what makes it hard to pick one person. Not one historical figure was perfect, and they all played essential roles in advocating for Black liberation. In terms of more contemporary black history figures, I will say that my initial thought was Michelle Obama. I’m reading her most recent book, and her accomplishments continuously inspire me, and what a great writer she is – I may argue better than Barack. I’m just really inspired by her tenacity and vulnerability. And speaking of vulnerability, that’s a necessary mindset and concept that I appreciate. As black people, there's this concept that we have to fight and continue to fight, but then she can share how she has battled with impostor syndrome, anxiety, and stress. Seeing her share those experiences inspires me to give myself grace. I think seeing Black historical figures be human helps. We're all human. We're all going through some of the same struggles. Anyways, I cannot pick one, I shared a couple of names, and that's not nearly an exhaustive list; there are so many, it's just tough to pick one.
Q. What can professional organizations like the ANA do to support the advancement of black physician researchers and scientists?
A. As someone on the IDEAS committee, I’m obviously biased. I think a lot of the work that ANA is trying to do is not just recognizing the numbers (in terms of diversity) but understanding the lay of the academic land. In IDEAS, we are trying to understand why there are issues with diversity in neurology: What are the barriers to having more prominent representation in academic medicine? In terms of what else ANA can do, I can think of two we will hopefully address through IDEAS. One of them is advocating for better opportunities for physicians of color in academic spaces, including adequate compensation and salary for our work. This is one of the many things we discussed in some IDEAS meetings that faculty of color need reasonable living conditions, reasonable expectations at work, and less of a diversity tax. We are asked to do so many different EDI-related things. We are constantly pulled in so many different directions, and that work is not recognized in the same way a publication or grant gets recognized. So, I think advocating at a larger scale by highlighting the barriers that black physicians and scientists face in academia is one way that ANA can help. The second part is creating community, having a network of other black physicians and physicians of color that you could go to and say, “hey, I’m going through this situation in my institution.” Then peers can help you strategize, navigate those situations, or simply say, “ you’re not in a good place; these are a list of institutions that will value and support you.” That sense of community can help Black physicians stay in research and academia. A strong community can help you realize that if your current situation is not ideal, but also, that it does not have to be that way. You don't know what you don't know. ANA can help build a community and connect like-minded individuals, and we can all share notes on how to “fight the fight” and stay sane while we’re at it. From a mental health and wellness standpoint, building community and connection is so vital as we continue advocating for anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusion.