Thomas Sequist

What inspires or motivates you in your role at HMS/HSDM?
I have always been motivated by the idea of reaching out to help and create opportunities for others. This motivation drives me every day in my various roles across HMS as a teacher, researcher, mentor, and physician leader. My most memorable career experiences have been those times when I can see the success of trainees; or when we have made demonstrable improvements in patient care.

What are you most proud of about your work at HMS?
I feel both privileged and proud to have led a portfolio of activities including student enrichment programs, health policy research, and patient care that have contributed to improving the health of the Native American population.
Over a period of two decades, the Brigham and Women's Hospital/ Harvard Medical School Four Directions Summer
Research Program has been a national model for promoting the careers of talented Native American students into careers in medicine, public health, and biomedical science. Since 2009, the Brigham and Women's Physician Organization Outreach Program has provided access to advanced specialty care for several rural hospitals on the Navajo Reservation.
Using a comprehensive model of onsite physician and nurse volunteers, along with an innovative telemedicine program between Boston and New Mexico, we have enabled delivery of services to thousands of patients who might not have otherwise received such care. Finally, over the last decade, we have partnered with the leadership of the Indian Health Service to conduct rigorous policy research to understand the challenges and opportunities to improve health care quality and outcomes for Native American patients across the nation.