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Hispanic Heritage Month Feature: Meet Downstate鈥檚 Dr. Samuel M谩rquez
September 15th marked the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month鈥攁 national commemoration of the influence and contributions of Latino communities
to American history, culture and values since this country鈥檚 founding. As one of the
most diverse and inclusive institutions for higher learning鈥擠ownstate is home to some
of the most prominent and noteworthy Hispanic scholars, faculty, and thought leaders
across the health professions.
In celebration of this significant month, I鈥檇 like to provide one of many incredible
examples of the work and contributions to the health sciences from Downstate鈥檚 Hispanic
community鈥攕tarting with, Samuel M谩rquez, Ph.D., Professor in the Department of Cell Biology, Co-Discipline Director of Anatomy
in the College of Medicine, and the Director of Anatomy of School of Health Professions.
Some of you may recall Dr. M谩rquez from one of his most recent splashes in the media
after he published his study in The Anatomical Record,听 which suggested that the real perpetrator in the extinction of the Neanderthals was
not some exotic virus, but rather the most common of childhood illnesses鈥揺ar infections.
Still Dr. M谩rquez鈥檚 academic and professional contributions stretch much farther than
his time here at Downstate.
A first-generation Colombian-American and a Bronx native, Dr. M谩rquez pursued his
undergraduate studies at Lehman College and later went on to earn his doctorate in
Physical Anthropology at the City University of New York, while under the tutelage
of Mount Sinai School of Medicine鈥檚, Dr. Jeffrey Laitman.听
Today, Dr. M谩rquez is a renowned functional craniofacial comparative anatomist whose
work has been rooted in traditional gross anatomic dissection, morphometrics of dry
skulls, and CT & MR imaging to understand the diversity across living human populations.
His groundbreaking studies鈥攕teeped primarily in paranasal sinus-related scientific research鈥�has been published in countless journals, his discoveries have made headline news
globally, and his investigations have him allowed him to traverse the world.听 More
specifically, his work has lent itself to museums domestically, as well as internationally
in Central and South America, as well as Europe, to study the diversity in skull specimens
housed within their osteological collections.听 You can even find his work right here
in Manhattan鈥檚 American Museum of Natural History where he scanned a vast array of
crania housed in the Division of Anthropology and Mammalogy, as well as Egyptian mummies
from the predynastic era circa 3,600 B.C.E.听
Equally as prominent, his expertise has been sought and featured in National Geographic, and his work following the unearthing of a Homo erectus calvaria from Indonesia
was highlighted on the Discovery Channel. Dr. M谩rquez and the team he assembled in 2001 later published three papers in The
Anatomical Record journal on the听discovered fossil.听Dr. M谩rquez's findings听were covered
globally in the press, including The New York Times and NewsDay, El Tiempo and El
Colombiano from the cities of Bogota, and Cali in Colombia, South America.
While his passion for his profession is undeniable, Dr. M谩rquez is equally committed
to the advancement of the anatomical sciences鈥攖hrough education, research, and professional
development鈥攚hich has been the primary focus of his academic portfolio. His committment
to working with and helping students from underserved populations reach and remain
interested in STEM has been unwavering.听 As听the founder of , he reaches hundreds of grade-school students and introduces them to the world of
science, helping to open their eyes and minds to the possibilities of their futures.
听Additionally, after having presented novel educational methodologies and research
to the American Association of Anatomists (AAA) for years,听 Dr. M谩rquez鈥檚 passion
for teaching and research was recognized with the 2009 Basmajian Award. 听This honor
allowed him to extend the experience to his students, enabling in excess of 100 Downstate
scholars to present their anatomical research directly to听the AAA 鈥攆urther developing
them via exposure to a professional society. 听
As if that wasn't enough, in 2015 he was elected to and is now the sitting Chair of
the Anatomical Committee for the Associated Medical Schools of New York (AMSNY).听
Comprised of 19 medical schools in the State of New York, the AMSNY oversees the distribution
of anatomical material serving as an interface with legislative and regulatory State
agencies, providing a forum for discussion centering on curriculum and curricular
changes, and facilitating a platform for faculty recruitment and development.听 The
association also provides a forum for the advancement and promotion of junior faculty.听
As chair, Dr. M谩rquez has appointed subcommittee teams to create outreach programs
for the anatomical sciences that aims at achieving exposure, motivation, and interest
in the sciences at the high school level by bringing the excitement of the discovery
process back into the classrooms while simultaneously addressing the pressing problems
of science illiteracy.听
It is this caliber of work that continues to propel Dr. M谩rquez within his field while
continuing to develop his influence as a thought leader nationally, and simultaneously
adding to the legacy and scientific contributions that come from Downstate.
I鈥檇 like to thank Dr. M谩rquez for his professional passion, for his commitment to
our student body, his pursuit of excellence, and for being an undeniable pillar to
Downstate. 听
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Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation Releases New Report on Addressing Harmful Bias in Healthcare
Founded in 1930 to memorialize the life of Josiah W. Macy Jr., the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation was established as a philanthropic organization with the primary mission of supporting
medical research. Some 20-years later in the early 1950鈥檚, the foundation evolved
and expanded its reach to greatly support and influence medical scholarship and education
as a pathway to improved health outcomes and to comprehensively improve the care provided
throughout our healthcare systems.
A couple of decades later, in the 1970s, the Foundation鈥檚 philanthropic work and grants
grew to become centralized around expanded and enhanced education for the broad spectrum
of health professions. Today, they remain the only national not-for-profit body, whose
mission is wholly committed to the advancement of professional health education鈥攁nd
I am proud to share that they have remained resolute in advancing that mission.听
Earlier this year in late February, the Foundation convened a national conference
for healthcare professionals on the issues of medical racism and reducing discrimination
throughout the health professions. The conference brought together healthcare leaders
and professionals from across the country who collaborated to produce guidance and
recommendations as a first step towards eliminating the discrimination in healthcare
that plagues the most vulnerable populations. I also had the distinct privilege of
lending my thoughts and voice to this critical conversation and, though it was unknown
at the time, that conference and the recommendations my peers and I put forth, could
not have come at a more relevant and opportune moment. 听
In response to glaring inequities in health outcomes underscored by the COVID-19 pandemic
and the ongoing national civil unrest regarding racial and social injustice, the Josiah
Macy Jr. Foundation published the recommendations from the conference, developed by
myself and my peers in healthcare, in their recent summary report: Addressing Harmful Bias and Eliminating Discrimination in Health Professions Learning
Environments.
This is only a first step in a series of ongoing events and actions that must occur
within the health professions before real change can manifest and before true equity
in the care provided to all Americans can exist.听 Still, I remain encouraged by the
great and meaningful efforts made by the Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation, humbled and honored
to have lent my support to this critically-important report, and steadfast in my belief
that change will come, so long as we all remain professionally unwavering in the path
forward.
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Downstate Urology Resident, Arturo Holmes tells his story on ABC鈥檚 Nightline News!
As some of you may recall, this past summer, I shared how Arturo E. Holmes II, M.D., Downstate Urology Resident, opened up about his experiences with racial profiling
in a Washington Post opinion editorial entitled, , in which he discussed using his scrubs as a layer of protection from prejudice, hate,
and any potential harm that may come to him.
In the perspective piece, Dr. Holmes noted, 鈥�I wear scrubs and a mask when I鈥檓 shopping at the grocery store, rollerblading home
from work and even meeting up with friends, always seeking to preemptively exonerate
my blackness with my professional garb. It鈥檚 about protecting myself. Like many black
Americans, I鈥檝e been followed by security personnel through department stores without
cause and pulled over by police officers at night for no reason.鈥�
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It was a line that resonated so deeply with audiences across cultures, it piqued the
interest of several networks for follow-up interviews with Dr. Holmes on his opinions
of the ongoing civil unrest around the country. Since then, Dr. Holmes has been on
an impressive press tour, including a live broadcast interview with Good Morning America鈥檚 Amy Robach and a profile interview with Byron Pitts of ABC鈥檚 Nightline News which aired on the
evening of September 10th.
For those that missed the ABC Nightline News feature, please !
Many thanks to Dr. Holmes for continuing to add to this critical dialogue and for
sharing a story that so many of us can relate to, and so many more can learn from.
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