Penn appoints new co-directors of Masters of Science in Health Policy program

Penn Medicine appointed James Guevara and Marilyn Schapira as the new co-directors of the Perelman School of Medicine's Master of Science in Health Policy program. 

The announcement was sent via email to students, faculty, and staff within the MSHP program by Penn Medicine Senior Vice Dean for Clinical and Translational Research, Emma Meagher. It follows the sudden departure of the program's two previous directors in the spring semester — former director Peter Groeneveld left his position amid student allegations of discrimination within the program, and former director Judy Shea — the Leon Hess Professor of Medicine in the Division of General Internal Medicine — died in March.

“Their selection came following a competitive search process which included participation by, and input from students, faculty, and staff," Associate Vice President for Communications at Penn Medicine Holly Auer wrote in a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian. "Together, they are well positioned to bring their expertise in research methods and policy work to bear for an impactful and exciting new era for the MSHP program.” 

An executive committee comprised of faculty, staff, and MSHP students appointed Guevara and Schapira to five-year terms at the start of July. Guevara is a professor of Pediatrics and Epidemiology, Biostatistics, and Informatics at the Medical School, and Schapira is a professor of Medicine at the Medical School, and the Veteran's Administration Medical Center.

In the spring, some students discovered an internal email by Groeneveld in which he questioned whether “some [underrepresented minority] applicants are being pushed toward us by external forces (e.g. fellow director expectations) and not by intrinsic interests.” In combination with an ensuing internal investigation, students pushed for an overhaul of the program leadership, contending that the program should examine the “institutional and interpersonal racism inherent within academia and the MSHP program” that prevent students from succeeding.

Guevara has a history of working in diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is the vice chair of diversity, equity, and inclusion in the Department of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Informatics, and Lead Diversity Search Advisor at Penn — a program which Meagher's email said was founded to "diversify faculty applicant pools to ensure equitable consideration of all standing faculty applicants.”

Schapira has worked closely with the MSHP program for many years in both leadership and mentoring positions, including as an instructor for the MSHP foundational research methods course. 

The executive committee also announced an intent to add two new leadership positions to the program: an Associate Director of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity and an Associate Director of Student Affairs. In September, Penn Medicine appointed Nadia Dowshen — co-founder and medical director of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia's Gender and Sexuality Development Clinic and director of Adolescent HIV Services in the Craig Dalsimer Division of Adolescent Medicine at CHOP — to fill the first position.

Meagher’s email wrote that Dowshen, an alumna of the MSHP program, will support diversity initiatives within the program and serve as a confidential resource for any student concerns.