Supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health, the AGA FORWARD Program matches 10 early career physician-scientist scholars with mentors nationally to support them in the quest of career success.
Banini was excited and honored to be chosen for the program. “I am tremendously honored to be recognized as a future leader in academic medicine and one of this year’s ten AGA FORWARD Program Scholars. This award and the nurturing and collaborative mentoring team that it provides will further cultivate my skills as a physician-scientist. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity from the American Gastroenterology Association,” she said.
Banini is paired with Rotonya M. Carr, MD, Cyrus E. Rubin Endowed Chair in Medicine; and division head, gastroenterology, University of Washington. Banini noted that Carr is an ideal role model, have aligned academic and research interests, and share a connection to Pennsylvania where they both trained.
“Dr. Carr is a basic science researcher and a clinical hepatologist with interest in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic liver disease (ALD), which are areas of special interest and research for me as well. I look forward to learning from her expertise in navigating research and leadership in academic gastroenterology/hepatology,” said Banini.
Garcia-Tsao was chosen as a mentor in the program. She will serve as a mentor for Vivian Ortiz, BS, MD, who is finishing her gastroenterology training at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. She completed her residency at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Garcia-Tsao is excited to participate in the curriculum. While she has mentored many students in the past, she looks forward to concentrating on this program focused on the underrepresented in medicine community.
“I was born and raised in Mexico. I came to the U.S., and sometimes people didn't treat me that well. One of my main two mentors was Argentinian, so we spoke Spanish and I felt very comfortable interacting with him. I think it is very meaningful, as it was for me, for underrepresented trainees to have role models that are also underrepresented. Sometimes we would feel left out. This program is very important because it is built to empower this community by showing them what other similar people can become. Look at where they got to be,” said Garcia-Tsao.
“This program is sort of like a family. They are all going to get to know each other. This is a different kind of mentoring than I have done before, so I am excited to participate,” she continued.
The components of the program include academic skills training, leadership training, and mentorship & career advising. Mentors and mentees selected for the second cohort of the program completed a virtual orientation program in January 2022.
Since forming one of the nation’s first sections of hepatology and then gastroenterology over 50 years ago, Yale’s Section of Digestive Diseases has had an enduring impact on research and clinical care in gastrointestinal and liver disorders. To learn more about their work, visit Digestive Diseases.