Candidate Profile: Rushika M. Conroy, MD, MS, ABOM

Rushika M. Conroy, MD, MS, ABOM
Running for: Trustee (MD/DO Seat)
Nomination by committee

Dr. Conroy provided the following information on her application for the Trustee position (MD/DO seat). Click on the gray boxes below to expand and view her responses. Click here to view the election campaign rules. Click here to view the conflict of interest policy and disclosure rules.

  • OMA Committee Involvement
    • Pediatric Committee, Member, 3 years 
    • Obesity Algorithm Committee, Member, 1 year
  • Involvement in Other Professional Societies or Associations
    • New England Obesity Society, Co-founder, Secretary 
    • Pediatric Endocrine Society
    • Obesity Special Interest Group, Member 
    • Transgender Special Interest Group, Member
    • Practice Management Special Interest Group, Member 
    • EDI
    • Obesity Certificate Course Subcommittee, Chair 
    • Rhythm Gold Academy 
  • Other Professional Activities
    • Associate Professor of Pediatrics Baystate Children's Hospital, 2021
    • Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Baystate Children's Hospital, 2011-2021
    • Speaking engagements (various locations) 2011-present 
    • Fellowship Education, 2011-Present
    • Residency Education, 2011-Present 
    • Building and developing the New England Obesity Society, 2020-Present
  • What do you envision as the top 3 goals or objectives that are most important for OMA in the next 5 years and why?
    1.  With the increase in awareness of the importance of inclusion and diversity in our society, I would like OMA to have a goal of increasing diversity and inclusion within the organization and within the field of obesity medicine. This will not only improve the organization but can also enhance the field.
    2. As a pediatric weight management physician, I am dedicated to obesity treatment in this population. With the increase in childhood obesity rates and obesity-related comorbidities, a focus on pediatric obesity prevention and management would be a unique and well-needed goal.
    3. Continuing to increase the number of people who become board-certified in obesity medicine and providing education to those applying for certification would be an excellent goal. In addition, considering providing obesity medicine certification for non-physician healthcare providers who also treat people with obesity would increase the organization's reach and enhance clinical care.
  • How do you think your talents and skills could be utilized in attaining OMA’s goals and objectives?

    I am a member of the diversity and inclusion committee in another organization and have helped develop ideas on enhancing diversity within my hospital system. As a person of South Asian descent who lives and works in a non-diverse area, I regularly see the importance of cultural awareness and the need to enhance this.

    As mentioned above, I am a pediatric weight management physician and spend most of my clinical time seeing patients with obesity and its comorbidities. I have an excellent knowledge base about this topic and can bring together ideas on how we can educate providers.

    I have worked on developing certification and board questions for obesity-related exams and have experience putting together talks, interactive and not interactive, to educate non-physician providers in the healthcare field.

  • List 3 reasons why you wish to serve on the Board of Trustees and explain why they will be an asset to the OMA.
    1. OMA is an excellent organization that has helped me grow as a physician. I want to make sure that other members can take from OMA what I was able to, so they too can thrive. 
    2. The board is a central place to bring forth new ideas, further develop and implement them. I am someone who not only has ideas but can help to manage teams in their development and implementation. I work well with people on all rungs of the ladder and this allows me to efficiently achieve the goals I set out for myself. These qualities will make me an excellent trustee.
    3. Taking on a role as trustee within the organization is the next best step in enhancing my leadership skills, my involvement in OMA, and my career.
  • In what ways do you think OMA could improve and why?

    Increasing diversity within the organization and among obesity medicine providers would be a great initiative to keep in line with the cultural respect and awareness goals that many of our individual organizations are trying to achieve.

    In addition, considering ways to provide certification for non-physician health care providers and considering providing education for non-healthcare works within the organization may increase the bandwidth of the OMA and allow our messages to be heard to a larger group of people.

  • Disclosures

    Disclosure of Actual or Potential Conflicts of Interest occurring within 1 year of the date of this form and within the foreseeable future:

    • None

    Disclosure of ANY interests that could possibly result in a Conflict of Interest in the future with OMA, such as an ownership interest in any business, stock/bond holdings, a grant, an employment relationship, or consultative or advisory arrangement, etc.:

    • None

    Disclosure of involvement / relationships with other similar or competitive associations / societies which represent interests of obesity medicine clinicians (please specify your level of involvement, i.e. board member, committee leader, committee member, general member, etc.):

    • See "Other Professional Activities"