#  Robert Kitts 

Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, HMS

Training Director, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship, Boston Children's Hospital

 

 

 



   ![Robert Kitts is holding a rainbow lei. He is wearing a plaid blue shirt and khakis.](/sites/g/files/omnuum11411/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/2026-05/54.Robert-Kitts-Questions.jpg?h=16f098c7&itok=WBgAP7Ty) 

 



 





 

**What inspires or motivates you in your role at HMS/HSDM?**  
What inspires and fuels me is the passion, kindness, and energy of those around me at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children's Hospital. They are the research assistants, students, residents, fellows, staff and faculty who contribute to the community because they genuinely want to see a difference, big or small. They are accomplished but humble, innovative but not competitive, senior but approachable, or young but mature in mind and heart. They promote bi-directional learning and bi-directional respect. We do things because we care. We care about the future and health of our children, adults, seniors, and overall community.

In **what ways do you feel you contribute to the Harvard community?**  
My contributions to the Harvard community stem from my desire to promote a sense of community. This includes a culture of giving back and collaboration. A highlight of my accomplishments was carrying out a Make-A-Wish with Sheila Nutt, EdD who is one of those inspirations. This endeavor brought a diverse group of individuals, including medical students, physicians, and deans, to craft four years of medical school into a one week experience for a 14 year-old girl whose wish was to experience what it was like to be a medical student. Collaboration and generosity made this one of the "best weeks" of her life.

**What is the significance of the object you brought with you to the photo shoot?**  
The lei symbolizes the celebration of something extremely meaningful to me, which is my identity as an openly gay member of the Harvard Medical School faculty who wants to continue supporting the LGBTQ community at HMS. As part of the HMS LGBT Advisory Committee, we wore the leis at the HMS Kick-off Reception for LGBT and Allies on September 30, 2014. The leis allowed the staff, faculty, resident and student attendees to see caring members who were available to them. This is worlds apart from my own experience in medical school when one of the Deans cautioned us about coming out as he could not protect us from the potential repercussions. I thank all of the Deans at HMS in addition to all of the trainees, staff, and faculty who helped make this difference.



 

 

 



 [ View all Dimensions of HMS participants arrow\_circle\_right ](https://occe.hms.harvard.edu/dimensions-harvard-medical-school) 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

- ## Person Categories
    
     [Dimensions](/person-categories/dimensions)
- ## Institution
    
     [Boston Children's Hospital](/institution/boston-childrens-hospital)