Over the years I’ve sought out and benefited from terrific academic mentors. Mentors have been an ongoing source of inspiration, knowledge, feedback, and mutually beneficial opportunities throughout my academic career.
Milton G. Ettinger, MD
World-renown neurologist and long-time chief of neurology and pioneer in sleep medicine (my uncle) provided crucial advice about working hard to get into medical school. Learn More
Julius E. Edlavich, MD
Pediatrician (and pioneer of the first internet chat room for pediatricians) provided mentoring and opportunities for observing him and many other doctors before and during medical school. Learn More
Samuel Schwarz, MD
World-renown expert on heme, bile pigments, and porphyrin metabolism, inventor of the Watson-Schwartz and HemaQuant tests, provided 2 years of mentorship in his laboratory including my first paying job in clinical research prior to medical school. Learn More
Dale N. Gerding, MD
World-renown expert/pioneer in Clostridium difficile disease and former Chief of Medicine at Chicago Lakeside VA Medical Center, provided 1 year of mentorship in his laboratory, and was a great source of inspiration during medical school. Learn More
Harry P. Selker, MD
Dean of the Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute, provided 4 years of mentorship and leadership throughout my Clinical Research Fellowship and Masters degree program. Learn More
George D. Lundberg, MD
Medscape Editor-at-Large, and former JAMA Editor-in-Chief for 17 years, provided 3 years of mentorship while I worked as an editor and board member under his leadership at Medscape. Learn More
Ernst J. Schaefer, MD
World-renown expert in lipid metabolism and heart disease prevention, Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Boston Heart Diagnostics, former Chief of the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory at the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center at Tufts University, has been my primary research mentor for over 20 years. He remains an ongoing source of inspiration, wisdom, advice, and friendship. Learn More
Each of these mentors, and many other teachers and professors, have helped shape my own values, knowledge, and academic career. I’m forever grateful for the thoughtfulness and generosity of these role models. I believe the best way I can honor their gift is to follow their example and pay it forward to others.
For three years I participated in a Clinical and Health Services Research Fellowship Program at Tufts University, which led to a Masters of Science Degree in 2004.
My mentors were Harry P. Selker, MD, and Ernst J. Schaefer, MD. Under their leadership I developed competencies in epidemiology, biostatistics, comparative effectiveness research, clinical trial design and implementation, cardiovascular nutrition, scientific writing and research grant preparation.
Under the direction of Dr. Schaefer (from 2000 to 2010), I conducted research in collaboration with other scientists at the Lipid Metabolism Laboratory and Cardiovascular Nutrition Laboratory at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University.
My Masters Thesis project during my clinical research fellowship was the Tufts Popular Diet Trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2005. With the help of my mentors and colleagues I recruited 160 adults with cardiovascular risk factors and excess body weight. They were each randomly assigned to one of four popular diets (Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers, Ornish) for a year. We asked them to attend four classes (which I co-taught along with dietitian Joi Gleason MS, RD) to learn how to follow their assigned diet as closely as possible for 2 months. We then encouraged participants to follow their assigned diet to whatever extent they preferred for 10 subsequent months. We measured dietary adherence levels and changes in body weight and cardiovascular risk factors over the course of a year, and analyzed the results. The average 1-year weight loss was about 10-12 pounds in participants who completed the study regardless of diet type (a statistical “4-way tie”). In all groups, participants who followed their plan closely often lost 15-20% body weight.
The main findings of the research were:
Publication and media reports of the three main findings provided new scientific evidence that led the way toward a new conceptual framework that received a lot of attention and consideration from experts and the general public. Together with many other research studies (including several subsequent diet comparison studies that were larger and better), this conceptual framework replaced previous thinking that there was “one best diet”. Instead it ushered in a new age of “dietary personalization” and a mindset that a diverse spectrum of healthy eating options exists. Therefore, individuals and their healthcare providers can learn about the strengths and drawbacks of differing approaches. Clinicians can help their patients find an eating plan that is a good match for their medical situation, food preferences, and other characteristics. The best eating plan is one you can follow consistently.
I have been a member of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism at Tufts Medical Center since 2004. I am not an endocrinologist, but my appointment within that division provides the opportunity to work closely with patients who have diabetes, and with other experts in diabetes management.
I founded a Lifestyle Program for Diabetes and Weight Loss (in 2006) that I call the “Diabetes Reversal Program” and continue to run. This program is for patients with primary care at Tufts Medical Center who want lifestyle coaching for weight loss and diabetes prevention or reversal.
The historic Boston Dispensary (established in 1796 with help from Paul Revere and Samuel Adams as one of the first hospitals in the US), was home to the world’s first nutrition clinic and was also home to my academic research office for nearly a decade. This has given me the distinctive honor of being the First Nutrition Clinic’s Last Nutrition Doctor.
Since 2017 I have served as one of approximately 25 national experts who determine the annual US News & World Reports Best Diets rankings.
I have served on the CDC Worksite Health ScoreCard Expert Panel which involved clinical review and suggestions for optimizing this tool designed to help address the leading health-related cost drivers for employers.
I have served on the Council of Directors and as a member of the Media Response Team for the True Health Initiative. We are a growing global coalition of over 500 world-renowned health experts, committed to cutting through the noise and educating on only the evidence-based, time-honored and proven pillars of lifestyle as medicine. Changing policy—changing minds—improving lives.
I’m an enthusiastic supporter and member of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM). This is the medical professional society for physicians and other professionals dedicated to clinical and worksite practice of Lifestyle Medicine as the foundation of a transformed and sustainable health care system.
I have served as a peer-reviewer for the Journal of the American Medical Association since 2005. Former Editor-In-Chief George D. Lundberg has been one of my most influential mentors.
I serve as a peer-reviewer for the American College of Physicians’ Annals of Internal Medicine, and have helped this journal fight against plagiarism. Please see my published article “Dear Plagiarist: A Letter to a Peer Reviewer who Stole and Published Our Manuscript as His Own” and the accompanying editorial and teaching module about the harms and causes of scientific misconduct.
Since 2011 I have served on the Clinical Advisory Board for WebMD Health Services, which helps large businesses improve employee health. I worked with colleagues to help design, implement, and continuously improve their Wellness Program.
I serve on the Scientific Panel of Independent Experts for DietID. This is a new clinical tool that uses Diet Quality Photo Navigation (DQPN), a novel approach to dietary assessment and tracking. It presents relevant, fully formed composite images of established dietary patterns and invites the user to select the image most like their own, current food intake. With this method, a baseline dietary pattern can be identified within minutes.
I serve on the Clinical Advisory Board for Heali, which is a state-of-the art smartphone application that leverages a unique artificial intelligence approach to help people stick to their desired eating plan. Heali uses a suite of technologies including Optical Character Recognition, Augmented Reality, and Machine Learning to power a unique set of tools for consumers that will make their lives healthier.
