New Frontiers in Diversity: Stanford’s Endocrinology Fellowship
#Communities
Endocrinology fellows celebrate graduation ceremonies for Leor Needleman, MD (third from right), and Susan Seav, MD (third from left), both class of 2024. Fellows from the class of 2025 include Adeola Ishola, MD (far left), Jairo Noreña, MD (second from left), Angela Rao, MD (far right), and Tugce Akcan, MD (second from right).
“We want to be sure we’re enriching the physician workforce with highly trained practitioners who represent many heritages and ethnicities.”
– Joy Wu, MD
Research indicates that patient-practitioner communications improve when the clinician and the patient are of similar backgrounds. The endocrinology fellowship program leverages that fact in reviewing applicants for its internationally renowned post-residency training program.
The selection process is arduous, entailing a close review of an individual’s residency experiences, recommendations, and interest in academic medicine. But equally important in reviewing applicants is assuring that the chosen fellows represent diverse backgrounds.
“We want to be sure we’re enriching the physician workforce with highly trained practitioners who represent many heritages and ethnicities,” says chief of endocrinology, gerontology, and metabolism Joy Wu, MD, PhD. “This increases the likelihood that future patients will have a pool of physicians to choose from whose backgrounds align with their own.”
Julie Chen, MD, is the program director of the Stanford Department of Medicine’s endocrinology fellowship program. “In deciding who to interview and rank, we try to look beyond the objective data,” she says. “This includes looking at candidates’ clinical and research interests, reviewing what opportunities they’ve taken advantage of in their local communities, and how they have incorporated diversity into their medical training.”
“We want to support our fellows and make them feel that they are part of the Stanford community.”
– Julie Chen, MD
A Community of Their Own
The fellows of the classes of 2024-25 represent this diversity. They or their parents hail from around the globe, including Cambodia, Colombia, India, Israel, Nigeria, and Turkey. And most grew up in places far away from Palo Alto, whether in the U.S. or abroad.
“This group was especially tightly bonded,” notes Wu. “They worked, studied, and had fun together in various group activities.” Chen believes this may have been because they had moved to the Bay Area from all around the country, so they created their own community.
Wu observes that one of the fellows’ joint activities was going to the Stanford gym together, which not only strengthened their bonds but enhanced their healthy living style – a key component of managing many endocrine disorders. “I love that they’re living their recommendations,” she says.
Why Stanford?
When asked why they chose Stanford for their fellowship training, all the fellows mentioned the internationally recognized faculty members and the camaraderie of the fellows.
They also noted the benefit of having a medical school and a hospital in one location. And, the fellows have access to a wide range of patients, since Stanford serves three hospitals (Stanford Hospital, Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, and Santa Clara Valley Medical Center).
In addition, the opportunity to collaborate across disciplines with other divisions and departments at Stanford University vastly broadens their prospects for finding a research topic of interest.
“We want to support our fellows and make them feel that they are part of the Stanford community,” says Chen.
Tugce Akcan, MD
Second-year research fellow
Class of 2025
I grew up in Turkey, where I completed medical school. During my studies, a summer rotation in Boston inspired me to move to the U.S., and since then, I’ve been part of many different institutions. This exposure has taught me to accept people from a range of ethnicities. My background significantly shapes my perspective as a physician and fellow, allowing me to approach patient care with greater understanding and sensitivity.
What drew me to the Stanford endocrinology fellowship program was the genuine care and support I felt from everyone, even during my virtual interview. In such a supportive environment, I believed I could thrive and develop both personally and professionally. And I am!
Adeola Ishola, MD
Second-year research fellow
Class of 2025
All the fellows bring a diverse range of talents, experiences, and perspectives, which is what makes each of them special. But beyond their individual strengths, what truly stands out is their collective spirit of caring, collaboration, and celebration. In this supportive ecosystem, success is not measured solely by individual achievements but by the collective progress of the entire group. We celebrated each other’s milestones, both big and small, and cheered each other on through challenges and setbacks. It’s this culture of caring and collaboration that makes the program truly special.
Leor Needleman, MD
Third-year research fellow
Class of 2024
My mother immigrated to the United States from Israel in 1982, before meeting my father in this country. I grew up on Long Island in New York state, but I’ve visited Israel many times because that’s where most of my family lives.
After my residency training, I decided to focus on endocrinology because the diseases we treat in this subspecialty require a deeper understanding of human metabolism and physiology than most other areas of medicine. My own research focuses on neuroendocrine tumors called pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma.
All the fellows are extremely committed to providing the highest level of care and applying the most up-to-date clinical research as appropriate. We like to have dinner together and spend time outdoors.
Jairo Noreña, MD
Second-year clinical fellow
Class of 2025
Stanford’s diverse patient population, including a substantial proportion of Hispanic patients, aligns closely with my priorities and reinforces my commitment to serving a broad range of communities.
I was born and raised in Colombia. I believe my cultural background has shaped my communication style, which incorporates showing empathy towards patients from diverse backgrounds. I feel this enhances my capacity to deliver culturally sensitive health care. This video, which had over 600,000 views on TikTok, exemplifies what I mean. And this one, on YouTube, has had more than 2 million views since I posted it four years ago. These are examples of my ongoing series of health education videos for Spanish-speaking viewers.
Angela Nina Rao, MD
Second-year clinical fellow
Class of 2025
I love the pathophysiology of endocrinology and the interplay of the feedback mechanisms. It is very gratifying to treat hormonal conditions and see improvement immediately in some cases. I have a particular interest in type 2 diabetes, and I enjoy talking about preventive health with my patients as I establish relationships with them.
One of the biggest strengths of our program is the bond we have as fellows. We regularly spend time together trying new restaurants, exploring the Bay Area, and competing against each other on game nights. I had a baby this year, and she has been welcomed into our fellow hangouts as well.
Susan Seav, MD
Class of 2024
Clinical Assistant Professor
Division of Endocrinology, Gerontology, and Metabolism
I was raised by a single mother who emigrated to the U.S. from Cambodia in the 1970s to escape the Khmer Rouge genocide. She had no formal education and relied heavily on the good faith of people to help when she was in need.
I have always wanted to pursue a career in academic medicine because I enjoy working with trainees, especially in an environment that fosters growth and intellectual stimulation. I ranked Stanford’s endocrinology fellowship No. 1 because of its reputation for excellent clinical training from world-renowned faculty. Being a tertiary referral center also brings in patients with challenging conditions that immensely enhance our exposure to rare diseases.
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