At the intersection of research and clinical care: Celebrating our female gastroenterologists

In honor of Women’s History Month and National Doctor’s Day, we’re celebrating just a few of the amazing female gastroenterologists at Boston Children’s Hospital.

Elizabeth Hait, MD, MPH

Clinical director, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition

Co-Medical director, Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disease Program

Why did you want to become a physician?

In high school, I was particularly drawn to my science classes. Throughout my childhood I was surrounded by many family members who were health care providers. I am the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, and my family instilled in me the importance of helping people.

What about gastroenterology interests you?

This field of medicine has such a broad range spanning from well child care to critically ill patients. I am also intrigued by the intersection of the gastrointestinal tract with all other systems, particularly the immune system and the psyche. It has been incredible to witness firsthand over the past 20 years the astounding medical breakthroughs in gastroenterology that have taken place.

What are your research interests?

I have several research interests which have evolved over the years. As my clinical area shifted to allergic gastrointestinal diseases, my research has focused on eosinophilic esophagitis, specifically clinical trials and outcome studies.

What advice do you have for other women physicians?

Create a wide net of support that includes people who will support your clinical, research, and personal endeavors. Do not bear the mental load alone, because it simply is impossible to do it all. Knowing when to ask for help and when to lean on your supports is a sign of strength, not weakness.

Stacy Kahn, MD

Director, Fecal Microbiota Transplantation and Therapeutics Program

Why did you want to become a physician?

I wanted to improve the lives of children and their families. I have also always loved biology and physiology and after working as an emergency medical technician in college, I realized that being a physician would allow me to combine my interests.  I could study the causes of disease in children and work to find safer, more effective treatments.

What about gastroenterology interests you?

Gastroenterology includes a wide range of conditions and diseases, ranging from reflux and feeding issues to celiac disease to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). I love that over the course of the week, I take care of a variety of patients with mild conditions that they will outgrow and more complex patients who will require ongoing more intensive care. Gastroenterology is also unique because we perform procedures (like endoscopy and colonoscopy) and tests that actually demonstrate changes in the human body that cause disease.

What are your research interests?

My research interests have grown out of my clinical interests and practice. My research focuses on IBD, Clostridioides difficile infection, fecal microbiota transplantation, and ethical issues in gastroenterology. I am passionate about understanding the epidemiology, triggers, course, and treatments that can best help my patients.

What advice do you have for other women physicians?

Align your research and clinical interests. Study the things that you are passionate about and look for the simple questions that have yet to be studied. Patients inspire my research questions and have also helped me to be a better doctor.

Maireade McSweeney, MD, MPH

Director, Gastroenterology Quality Improvement & Patient Safety 

Why did you want to become a physician?

I went into medicine to help improve the health of patients and partner with families to help make their loved ones feel better. I greatly enjoy meeting new patients and families and hearing their stories. I was drawn to pediatrics because it allows you not only to see infants, and help them grow, but also work with older children and adolescents, as they develop and mature into healthy young adults.

What about gastroenterology interests you?

I love how the field of gastroenterology focuses on the health and well-being of patients’ growth and nutrition and allows you to use and incorporate all various types of diagnostic testing into your assessments. One of my main areas of interest within gastroenterology is taking care of patients with feeding difficulties and those who may need assistance with their growth. This allows me to collaborate with other clinicians from across the hospital and challenges me to always think about the whole patient. 

What are your research interests?

I’m interested in quality improvement, patient safety, and clinical research on infants and children with aerodigestive disorders and those who may be enterally tube dependent. Feeding difficulties can be very daunting, scary, and emotional for patients and families. I enjoy learning how we can help make the process more standardized and less overwhelming. I also enjoy working with my colleagues to improve our health care systems, improve clinical outcomes, and offer the best treatments possible.

What advice do you have for other women physicians?

Do it! Medicine is a wonderful field for women to enter. It allows diversity, flexibility, and is never dull. In particular, gastroenterology is a very diverse field, touches on every facet of medicine, and will always allow you to feel gratified.

Meenakshi Rao, MD, PhD

Attending physician, Principal investigator

Why did you want to become a physician?

It gave me the opportunity to combine my passion for science with an impact on human health at the levels of both individual patients and the system at large.

What about gastroenterology interests you?

The digestive tract is a place where many systems in the body interact, from immune cells to nerves to microbes. I love the challenge of sifting through this complexity. GI symptoms usually have an enormous impact on quality of life, yet there is often a lot of social stigma around sharing them. One of the things I love about my job is that it allows me to practice both the art and science of medicine, to give patients a comfortable space in clinic to share what they are experiencing, while working in the lab to advance the understanding and treatment of digestive disease.

What are your research interests?

The digestive tract has a large division of the nervous system, called the enteric nervous system (ENS), embedded right within its walls. This “brain” in the gut influences virtually all aspects of GI function, from digesting nutrients to fighting infections. My research is focused on understanding how the cells of the ENS normally work to regulate GI functions and how these pathways go awry in digestive disease.

What advice do you have for other women physicians?

Pursue a journey that you enjoy — the road is often challenging in medicine and science, but enjoying the journey means that it always feels worthwhile.

Rachel Rosen, MD, MPH

Director, Aerodigestive Center

Why did you want to become a physician?

I actually wanted to be a marine biologist and had done everything from studying whales to jellyfish. While I loved the research, I was not sure that I could spend time on long boat trips; I get really motion sick! As I was doing research throughout college, I also volunteered on a pediatric floor. It was there that I realized that I could combine my love of science with patient care.

What about gastroenterology interests you?

My favorite part is my amazing colleagues. You cannot work with poop and vomit if you don’t have a sense of humor! I also love that there is a diversity of organs to study and all are interrelated. 

What are your research interests?

My goal with research is to answer questions that result in a direct and immediate impact on patient care. I have spent my career studying the pathophysiology of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the complications of it both for the GI tract and the lungs, and novel therapies to treat it. Through this research, I have found that upper gastrointestinal dysmotility is actually a much bigger problem than reflux events, so we are now exploring the impact of gastric and esophageal dysmotility on the lungs.

What advice do you have for other women physicians?

Do what you love and find a mentor who will support you in your journey. I have had several incredible mentors who gave me the freedom to think outside the box and provided support during high and low periods. I also think it is important to know yourself; if you are on a career path that does not make you excited every time you come to work, switch paths early so you can find that passion for what you do.

Learn more about the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition or refer a patient.