ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Katherine J. Gold, M.D., M.S.W., M.S., assistant professor, was chosen for the prestigious James C. Puffer, M.D./American Board of Family Medicine Fellowship at the Institute of Medicine (IOM).
The overall purpose of the fellowship is to enable talented, early career health policy and science scholars in family medicine to participate actively in the work of the IOM and to further their careers as future leaders in the field. Dr. Gold’s high-quality research has clear implications for improving health care outcomes and demonstrate that she has significant potential as a future leader in academic medicine and health policy.
"Every so often, we all come across someone who is clearly exorbitantly talented. Dr. Gold is one of those persons. Some of us refer to her as 'superwoman' because of all that she does at such a high level. Her research is incredibly important, pertinent to development of health policy in pregnancy care, and quite innovative. Her current emphasis on developing an innovative idea to reduce perinatal loss has enormous health policy implications. As the James C. Puffer, M.D./American Board of Family Medicine Fellow, Dr. Gold will take her research to the next level and emerge as one of the true leaders and best in family medicine," says Philip Zazove, M.D., the George A. Dean, M.D. Chair of Family Medicine.
Dr. Gold's research focuses on clinical and health services research on maternal and child health, concentrating on perinatal mental health, mental and physical health outcomes for families after stillbirth or infant death, and bereavement training for health professionals,.
She was recently invited to join the Board of the International Stillbirth Alliance, the most prominent international organization promoting stillbirth prevention and bereavement research, and currently serves on its Science Advisory Board. And, she is active in global health, with a focus on stillbirth prevention and maternal mental health in sub-Saharan Africa.
Mentorship is one of Dr. Gold's strongest traits. She is sought after by junior faculty, fellows, residents, and medical students. Because of this, her participation in this fellowship will benefit the Department for years to come. And, as a mentor to faculty and medical students in Ghana, her reach will span the globe.
During her two-year position, Dr. Gold will be introduced to a variety of experts and perspectives, including legislators, government officials, industry leaders, executives of voluntary health organizations, scientists, and other health professionals.
Dr. Gold notes, "I am humbled to have been selected for this fellowship and grateful to my mentors from our department—particularly Tom Schwenk and Philip Zazove—who have supported and taught me over the last many years. I would certainly not have this opportunity without their unwavering support. I am truly thrilled to have the chance to work with the IOM, and am excited to get started on my work in the fellowship."
The fellowship began with an introduction at the national IOM meeting followed by a week-longorientation in October in Washington, D.C. Dr. Gold will spend the next two years participating in one of the IOM's policy boards and working on issues related to national research and policy priorities.
