Teni Brown, MD, receives RWJ Harold Amos Award
Of the 168 million women living in America, it’s estimated that more than 50 million will experience a pelvic floor disorder (PFD) in their lifetime.
“PFDs are debilitating and associated with significant morbidity and reduction in quality of life as individuals age. Unfortunately, Black women are underrepresented in PFD research which is something that needs to change.” Teni Brown, MD, FACOG, assistant professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery
With new funding from the Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program (AMFDP), Brown is working to make that need a reality.
My long-term goal is to be a leader in women's health research and being a Harold Amos Scholar will undoubtedly be a launching pad for my research career.”
“Being named a Harold Amos Scholar is a dream come true and it’s an honor to be a part of this network of formidable researchers and leaders,” says Brown, who is also director of Diversity and Inclusion at Northwestern’s McGaw Medical Center. “The AMFDP focuses on developing faculty from underrepresented backgrounds into successful researchers and leaders by providing them with resources and an extensive network.”
As an Amos Scholar, Brown will receive an annual stipend up to $75,000, complemented by a $30,000 annual grant toward support of her research activities. Her mentor team includes Melissa Simon, MD, MPH; Victoria Handa, MD; Elisa Gordon, PhD, MPH; and Funmi Olopade, MD.
Board-certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Brown completed her fellowship in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern University in 2021 following a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Northwestern. Her research focuses on disparities in treatment utilization and treatment outcomes for pelvic floor disorders, and developing and implementing interventions that mitigate PFD disparities for Black women
“I realized I wanted to become an investigator during my Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery fellowship where I learned that research is a powerful tool to make impactful changes in clinical care and policy,” says Brown, who is at the forefront of multiple equity efforts across Northwestern Medicine, including the first DEI Director in OB/GYN. “My long-term goal is to be a leader in women's health research and being a Harold Amos Scholar will undoubtedly be a launching pad for my research career.”
Brown recently published findings that seek to highlight the prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in Black women, evaluate the clinical care they receive, examine barriers they face to equitable care, and present a strategic agenda to prioritize the care of Black women with pelvic floor disorders. With support from the NUCATS Institute, she will implement an evidence-based intervention to mitigate barriers to timely pelvic floor disorders care that are driven by structural racism.
The Harold Amos Medical Faculty Development Program is part of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation created to increase the number of faculty from historically marginalized backgrounds who can achieve senior rank in academic medicine, dentistry, or nursing.
Research reported in this publication is supported in part by the National Institutes of Health's National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, Grant Number UM1TR005121. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health.
Written by Roger Anderson
