Isabel Chen, MD, MPH

Biography

Associate Professor

Health Systems Science

Dr. Isabel Chen’s work is grounded in improving the humanitarian potential of healthcare through innovation in education, research, and advocacy initiatives that improve health equity through a community-based lens. She completed her Family Medicine residency training at Kaiser Permanente while participating in the establishment of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine and is board certified in Addiction Medicine. Dr. Chen is co-course director of the Service-Learning course, which centers community expertise on health equity issues in Southern California and promotes student collaboration to meet community needs.

Education and Training

Degrees: BA, Yale College
MPH, Yale University School of Public Health
MD, University of British Columbia (UBC) Faculty of Medicine

Professional Positions

Board Member: Society of Teachers of Family Medicine; 2017-2018

Board Member and Resident Council Chair: California Academy of Family Physicians; 2017-2018

Board Member, Director of Social Movement and Engagement: Social Mission Alliance; 2017-present

Physician: Kaiser Permanente Southern California Medical Group; 2018-present

Physician: Twin Towers Correctional Facility; 2019-2020

Assistant Professor, Health Systems Science: Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine; 2020-2024

Associate Professor, Health Systems Science: Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine; 2024-present

Honors and Awards

Outstanding Educator Award, Health Systems Science: Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine; 2024

Community Engagement

Co-Founder: Keep Safe Initiative; 2012-2015

Co-Founder, Current Vice President, and University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine Host Site: Reading Bear Society Early Education Literacy Initiative; 2012-present

Scholarly Activities

Selected peer-reviewed research manuscripts

Vadivelu N, Chen I, Kodumudi V, Ortigosa E, Gudin M. “The Implications of Urine Drug Testing in Pain Management.” Current Drug Safety 4. 2010 Jul 2;5(3): 267-70.
Yun K, Hebrank K, Graber L, Sullivan MC, Chen I, Gupta J. “High Prevalence of Chronic Non-communicable Conditions Among Adult Refugees: Implications for Practice and Policy.” Journal of Community Health. 2012 Oct; 37(5): 1110-8.
Chen I, Forbes C. “Reflective writing and its impact on empathy in medical education: systematic review.” Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions. 2014; 11: 20.
Ironside K, Becker D, Chen I, Daniyan A, Kian A, Saheba N, Hollander R, Garman K. “Resident and faculty perspectives on prevention of resident burnout: a focus group study.” Permanente Journal. Aug 2019.
Kim JG, Gonzalo JD, Chen I, Vo A, Lupi C, Hyderi A, Haidet P, DeWaters A, Blatt B, Holmboe ES, Thompson L, Jimenez J, Madigosky W, Chung PJ. “Team Effectiveness in Health Systems Science to Illuminate Undergraduate Medical Education’s Outcomes.” Acad Med. 2024 Apr 1;99(4):374-380.doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000005619. Epub 2023 Dec 28.

Invited presentations

Ragins K, Chen I. A Method to Increase the Safety of Sex Work: A Mobile Panic Button System. Oral Presentation at: Unite for Sight Global Health Conference; 2018 Apr.
Chen I, Rock R. Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Medical Student Education Conference; Jacksonville, FL. Presentation: Leveraging Learners to Drive Social Mission & Health Equity Curriculum Development. 2019 Feb.
Chen I, Lim C, Tsai A, Rehman T. The Why Behind Social Mission: Developing Your Own Mission to Build Sustainable and Impactful Work; Workshop Presented at: Beyond Flexner Alliance National Conference; 2021 Apr.
Lopez A, Caivano R, Chen I, Su J, Kim JG. Developing Medical Students as Social Change Agents in a Service-Learning Curriculum - Scholarly Topic Roundtable Discussion; Paper presented at: Society of Teaching of Family Medicine on Medical Student Education, Society of Teaching of Family Medicine. 2022 Jan.
Lim C, Chen, I, Vo A, Lupi C, Chung P, Hyderi A, DeWaters A, Gonzalo J, Kim JG. Operationalizing Health Systems Science Through Teaming at Two Medical Schools. Poster presented at: Health Systems Science Summit, American Medical Association. 2022 Dec.
Nojima M, Sam D, Chen I, Liang S., Nguyen N, Kim JG. Analyzing an Inclusive Disability Curriculum’s Link with Patient Reported Perceptions of Medical Students in Core Clerkships. Poster presented at: 2024 STFM Conference on Medical Student Education. 2024 Feb.
Chen I. Community as Classroom: Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine’s Service-Learning through Health Systems Science. Oral Presentation at: Symposium on the Social and Structural Drivers in MedEd. 2023 Dec.
Chen I, Lopez A, Caivano A, Su J, Kim JG. Advancing Equity & Justice Through Service-Learning Course. Oral Presentation at: Social Mission Alliance Conference. 2024 Apr.
Kim JG, Boscardin C, Holmboe ES, Hauer K, Yamazaki K, Chen I, Boatright D. Racial factors associated with competency-based assessment ratings in professionalism for graduating resident physicians training in internal medicine. Poster presented at: Ottawa Conference. 2024 Feb.