Leslie Sude, MD

I have been a community pediatrician in general practice for 32 years. Over the years, I have worked in various settings ranging from the Alaskan bush to the San Diego-Mexican border, from inner city to small country town offices, and most recently, through a series of career twists and turns, as an associate professor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine (YSM).

All these experiences have provided a nuanced and deep appreciation for the myriad factors which influence individual and population level health. I have been exposed to the broad, structural barriers to universal health equity in the US, and have faced the intimate family-level challenges in access to and navigation of health care in our current health systems. I have brought these experiences into focus with my recent work in community medicine, specifically in launching a medical-financial partnership in a primary care office to link low-income families with financial capability services and in creating a mobile health program to address maternal health disparities. All of this has been richly rewarding on many levels but made even more meaningful through the honor and privilege of working with the YSM students.

Teaching medicine goes beyond the science and physiology of medicine and requires a holistic perspective of both the learner and the patients we care for. I take the role of clinician and teaching very seriously and regard teaching the next generation of medical practitioners, leaders, and innovators as a moral imperative to foster excellence in those who will replace us. I take inspiration from the YSM students’ keen intellectual curiosity and deep concern for the social issues of our time, and hope to participate in the gentle guiding and prompting the longitudinal coaching role brings toward students realizing their individual goals and ultimate long-term career satisfaction.