William D. Shipman, MD, PhD, a PGY-4 resident and postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Dermatology, was selected for the fall cohort of the National Medical Fellowships Diversity in Clinical Trials Research Program (NMF Dctr). With a particular interest in skin of color dermatology, Shipman is one of 11 cohort fellows who will emerge from the program empowered as Principal Investigators (PIs) who will implement best practices aimed at diversifying patient populations in clinical trials.
Studies in Annals of Internal Medicine and JAMA Network Open show that patients from diverse backgrounds are more comfortable when treated by a physician who looks like them. Similarly, research published in the National Bureau of Economic Research finds that Black volunteers are more likely to join a research trial when the trial PI is also Black. Thus, NMF Dctr. seeks to increase diversity not only among clinical trial participants, but also among the PIs who lead clinical trials, with the ultimate goal of generating research data that is comprehensive and inclusive.
NMF Dctr. is sponsored by Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, and AstraZeneca and is offered by National Medical Fellowships, an organization dedicated to supporting the careers of students and physicians underrepresented in medicine (URiM) who will ultimately be prepared to serve a wide array of communities.
In dermatology, says Shipman, the need for diverse patients in clinical trials is crucial.
“The field of dermatology has many novel therapeutics that work really well. However, as we look at the clinical trial data behind these therapeutics, patients with skin of color are extremely underrepresented. As dermatologists, we do not have a clear sense if these therapeutics are as effective in these patients or if the safety profiles will be the same. In addition, patients with skin of color are oftentimes missing the benefit of being included in many of these clinical trials and gaining early access to these therapeutics.”
Producing truly effective therapeutics starts with recruiting a diverse array of clinical trial participants and building a body of research data that covers the full spectrum of patient experiences – and that starts with increasing the diversity of PIs.
As a NMF Dctr. fellow, Shipman will participate in virtual training sessions, as well as the Parexel® Academy’s Clinical Investigator Certification Program, a rigorous, 10-week curriculum. After the conclusion of the program, Shipman will be well-positioned to lead clinical trials as a PI. He will have continued access to networking and mentoring opportunities to support his career as he works to increase clinical trial access and engagement among skin of color patients.
“With the critical skills and opportunities gained from this invaluable training fellowship, I plan to lead clinical trials for conditions that disproportionately affect skin of color patients such as hidradenitis suppurativa, cicatricial alopecias, keloids, hyperpigmentation, and others. In addition, I intend to play a key role in promoting overall clinical trial diversity in all dermatology clinical trials. This will ultimately increase the impact and generalizability of research findings, decrease health disparities, and lead to more effective and personalized interventions for everyone.”
Previously, in March 2023, Shipman was inducted into the Yale chapter of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society by the Yale Office for Graduate Student Development and Diversity.