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Deborah Dyett Desir, MD

Associate Professor of Medicine (Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology); Medical Director Hamden CT site, Rheumatology

Contact Information

Deborah Dyett Desir, MD

Patient Care Location

Appointments

Biography

Dr. Desir is a graduate of Harvard University (cum laude) and Yale School of Medicine (cum laude, AOA). She completed residency in internal medicine at Yale New Haven Hospital and fellowship in rheumatology at Yale School of Medicine. She is founder of the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Center, PC, in Hamden, Branford, and Milford, CT, and served as its medical director for 27 years. She is currently associate professor of medicine in the Department of Medicine, Section of Rheumatology, Allergy & Immunology, Yale School of Medicine, and medical director of Yale Medicine Rheumatology, Hamden.

Dr. Desir has served as ACR alternate advisor to the AMA RUC Committee. She was a member of the ACR Government Affairs Committee, Committee on Rheumatologic Care, RheumPAC, and Finance Committee. She was a member of the State of Connecticut Partnership Advisory Panel on Lupus. She has served on the Ethics & Judicial Affairs Committee of the New Haven County Medical Association. She is on the Finance & Legislative Committees for the Connecticut State Medical Society (CSMS) and served as CSMS Council representative from the Elizabeth Blackwell Woman’s Section. She is a past president of the New Haven County Medical Association. She is president of the American College of Rheumatology and was installed as president in November 2023.

She is on the Board of the Cornell Scott Hill Health Center Foundation, the Board of Trustees of Quinnipiac University and the Board of Directors of the International Festival of Arts and Ideas. She is a member of the New Haven Chapter of The Links, Inc., the New Haven Chapter of Girlfriends, Inc., the Theta Epsilon Omega chapter of AKA Sorority, Inc., and the Garden Club of New Haven. She was a member of the Garden Club of America’s Ad Hoc Committee on Cultivating Common Ground and Building Diversity. She currently serves on the Police Commission for the Town of Woodbridge, CT, along with the Democratic Town Committee. She is a member of Trinity Episcopal Church on the Green in New Haven, CT.

She is the wife of Dr. Gary Desir and the daughter of the late Dr. Benjamin I. Dyett and Mrs. Betty M. Dyett. She is the mother of Carl (Reema), Matthew (Cortni), Chrysanthemum (Camille Seaberry), and Alexandra (Maurice Clarke), and the grandmother of Elodie, Amari, Zaydee and Lexington.

Education & Training

  • Fellow
    Yale University School of Medicine (1987)
  • Resident
    Yale-New Haven Hospital (1983)
  • Intern
    Yale-New Haven Hospital (1981)
  • MD
    Yale University School of Medicine (1980)
  • BA
    Harvard University, Biochemistry (1976)

Certifications

  • Board Certification
    American College of Physicians, Rheumatology (1994)
  • Board Certification
    AB of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine (1983)

Honors & Recognition

AwardAwarding OrganizationDate
Leadership Award from New Haven County Medical AssociationNew Haven County Medical Association2022
Connecticut Magazine Top Doctors for 2022Connecticut Magazine2022
Castle Connolly Top Doctors 2022Castle Connolly2022
Connecticut Magazine Top Doctors for 2021Connecticut Magazine2021
Community Service AwardSouthern Connecticut Black Nurses Association2019
Connecticut Magazine's Top Doctors for 2017Connecticut Magazine2017
Community Service AwardWest Haven Black Coalition2014
Business AwardNew Haven Club of the National Assoc. of Negro Business & Professional Women's Clubs, Inc.2013
Citizen of the YearChi Omicron Chapter, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc2012
Woman in MotionCT Arthritis Foundation2002
Community Service AwardNew Haven Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women1993
Woman of the YearThe National Council of Negro Women, Inc.1993
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Minority Medical Faculty Development GrantRobert Wood Johnson Foundation1985
Arthritis Foundation FellowArthritis Foundation1984
National Medical Fellowships, Merit Graduation AwardHenry Kaiser Family Foundation1980
Alpha Omega Alpha, Honor Medical SocietyAlpha Omega Alpha Honor Society1980
John P. Peters Prize for an Outstanding ThesisYale University School of Medicine1980

Professional Service

OrganizationRoleDate
American College of RheumatologyPresident2023 - 2024
Quinnipiac UniversityBoard of Directors2022 - Present
American College of RheumatologyPresident-elect2022 - 2023
Garden Club of AmericaGCA Ad hoc Committee on Cultivating Common Ground and Building Diversity2021 - Present
Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Theta Epsilon Omega ChapterCovid-19 Pandemic Relief Committee2020 - Present
American College of RheumatologyCommittee on Corporate Relations2020 - 2022
American College of RheumatologyExecutive Committee2020 - Present
American College of RheumatologyBoard of Directors2020 - Present
American College of Rheumatology FoundationSecretary2020 - Present
The New Haven (CT) Chapter of Links, Inc.Covid-19 Pandemic Rapid Response Committee2020 - Present
New Haven County Medical AssociationPresident2019 - 2020
Yale-New Haven HospitalMedical Executive Administrative Committee2019
Community Medical GroupBoard of Directors2019
New Haven County Medical AssociationPresident2019 - Present
Connecticut State Medical SocietyLegislative Committee2018 - Present
American College of RheumatologyCommittee on Finance2017 - 2020
American College of RheumatologyAMA Alternate Advisor to the RUC2017 - 2020
New Haven County Medical AssociationPresident-elect2017 - 2019
American College of RheumatologyPsoriatic Arthritis Guideline Project2016 - 2018
Connecticut State Medical SocietyFinance Committee2016 - 2020
Yale-New Haven HospitalMedical Executive Committee2016 - 2019
New Haven County Medical AssociationVice President2016 - 2017
Connecticut State Medical SocietyCouncil Member2016 - Present
Connecticut State Medical SocietyElizabeth Blackwell Women's Section2016 - Present
The New Haven (CT) Chapter of Links, Inc.Treasurer2015 - 2021
New Haven County Medical AssociationTreasurer2015 - 2016
International Festival of Arts & IdeasBoard of Directors2014 - Present
Community Medical GroupCompensation Committee2014 - 2019
American College of RheumatologyBoard of Directors2014 - 2017
New Haven County Medical AssociationBoard Member2013 - Present
State of Connecticut Partnership Advisory Panel on LupusCommittee Member2011 - 2015
American College of RheumatologyGovernment Affairs Committee2010 - 2013
New Haven County Medical AssociationEthical and Judicial Affairs Committee2010 - 2013
American College of RheumatologyDiversity Task Force2008 - 2009
New Haven County Medical AssociationBoard Member2004 - 2011
Community Medical GroupCredentialing Committee, Formerly YNHH-IPA Credentialing Committee1998 - 2019

Departments & Organizations