Heather Lipkind, MD, MS
- What aspect of your research are you most excited about right now?
- I am most excited about the work I am doing to explore ways to improve health outcomes for post-partum priority populations with the support of funding award from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). I am thrilled with the opportunity to partner with the community and medical centers to address this critical period in women’s lives.
- When you’re not doing research, what are your hobbies or non-work-related interests?
- I love gardening and having the opportunity to grow my vegetable garden. Additionally, I love spending time with my family. We have two Labrador Retrievers, Buddy and Coco, who both were rescued from the south.
- What is the most valuable piece of advice you’ve received over your research career?
- I have received a lot of wonderful advice over the years from amazing mentors, colleagues, and friends. I also read a lot and now listen to a lot of podcasts. Some of the quotes that have been helpful to me are from my favorite authors, one of them being Cheryl Strayed, “Ask yourself: What is the best I can do? And then do that.”
- Ideally, how do you envision your research contributing to the broader field (be it societal, ecological, etc.)?
- I believe the studies and research that I am currently working on will have the potential to transform the quality of care received by women of color and their babies in the period surrounding birth and beyond. Growing attention has focused on the postpartum period as an important window to address maternal mortality disparities, as half of pregnancy-related deaths occur postpartum. I am thrilled with the opportunity to partner with the community and medical centers to address this critical time period in women’s lives.
