Celebrating their Asian roots, three distinguished doctors leave an impact on our platform

In the Department of Radiation Oncology at UCLA, a commitment to diversity and inclusion is evident, with three physicians of Asian descent—Dr. Albert Chang, Dr. Alan Lee, and Dr. Puja Venkat—working together to promote cross-cultural understanding and equity in medical care within the community.

Dr. Chang, the associate professor and vice chair of surgical services and brachytherapy service chief, has performed over 2,000 brachytherapy procedures. His colleagues, Drs. Lee and Venkat, bring unique perspectives to the team, having grown up in diverse backgrounds. Dr. Lee spent his high school years in Taiwan, where he identified as a "third culture kid," while Dr. Venkat experienced a cultural duality in her upbringing, with her interactions within her traditional Indian family contrasting with her social interactions outside the home.

The team performs a specialized procedure called high-dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, which involves inserting radioactive material inside the body for targeted radiation treatment of cancers in the prostate, head and neck, breast, cervix, and eye. UCLA is the only center in the United States to perform brachytherapy procedures for cancers in the lung, mediastinum, liver, and abdomen.

The physicians are advocating for breaking down cultural barriers to treatment, with Dr. Lee highlighting language difficulties, lack of access to health care or insurance, and indifference as barriers that prevent non-English-speaking patients from getting proper medical care. Dr. Venkat is looking at ways to encourage clinical trial enrollment by translating protocols and consent processes into multiple languages to promote equity.

The Radiation Oncology department at UCLA has launched an equity, diversity, and inclusion committee, which Dr. Venkat co-chairs. The committee aims to hold department-wide meetings every two months to discuss racism in America and promote cross-cultural understanding. After discussing the Japanese internment camps, several team members expressed gratitude for the safe space to talk about such issues.

Dr. Venkat first learned about brachytherapy while treating a patient with cervical cancer in rural Guatemala. Her experiences have shaped her dedication to promoting diversity and inclusion within her department and ensuring equitable access to medical care for all patients.

Despite a rise in hate crimes and anti-Asian sentiment since the pandemic began, the physicians have not encountered racism at UCLA or within their communities. Approximately 17% of active physicians identify as Asian American, but Asians make up a higher percentage of employees at UCLA.

The physicians' work extends beyond their department, with Dr. Chang's team planning to publish a paper aimed at non-Caucasian patients explaining brachytherapy and its benefits, and they are also working on a vaginal health study, part of which looks at outcomes by race to discover any nuances post-radiation.

Dr. Venkat grew up in a community that did not discuss the Japanese internment camps, but the topic was discussed during a session with her department. Her experiences, along with those of her colleagues, underscore the importance of creating safe spaces for open dialogue and fostering a culture of inclusivity in the medical field.

Celebrating their Asian roots, three distinguished doctors leave an impact on our platform