Why Rheumatology
From a competitive figure skater to a rheumatologist, my personal path, and my mission to close the health disparities gap for women and minority patients.
Since I was a little girl, I always knew I had something to say, and that I wanted to make a difference in this world. My interest in the human body grew when I was a competitive figure skater, amazed at how muscles, bones, joints, tendons, and ligaments all work together in concert. As I attempted new spins and jumps, I quickly recognized how important it was to care for my bones and joints, and as I took up ballet, dance, running, spinning, yoga, strength training, and kickboxing, my fascination with the musculoskeletal system only grew.
A few poignant experiences led me to rheumatology. In medical school, I met a young African American woman diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus who did not understand the complexity of her disease. At the time, I had never heard of lupus and believed, mistakenly, that arthritis and immune disorders only affected older people and only involved the joints. She was unaware of the comorbidities, early heart disease, lung disease, kidney damage, that can occur without early, aggressive treatment. She became one of the catalysts for my career, and during residency I chose this path.
Since then, I've met so many people, especially minority women, battling conditions of the immune system and the bones and joints, often living with joint pain, fatigue, and stiffness without realizing they carried a rheumatologic diagnosis. I see patients struggle with simple activities like brushing their teeth, combing their hair, or walking a block. Arthritis and autoimmune disease affect both physical and emotional well-being, and it means so much to me that my patients feel comfortable sharing how their disease affects them.
In rheumatology, autoimmune diseases like lupus and arthritis subtypes like rheumatoid and osteoarthritis disproportionately affect minority populations, with higher illness and mortality, yet there are few Black rheumatologists, and Black female physicians make up only about 2% of the physician workforce. I feel honored to be part of this group and to better educate minority women about autoimmune disease and its associated conditions, cardiovascular disease, obesity, pregnancy, kidney disease, diabetes, breast cancer, mental health, and gynecological disease, that claim too many Black women's lives.
My goal is to inspire every patient to take an active role in their care by first understanding their condition, and to embrace a healthy lifestyle: exercise, mindful eating, adequate sleep, and stress reduction, while staying committed to their treatment and follow-up. I'm also here to inspire younger women, especially minority women, who hope to serve their communities in healthcare, to show them their dreams are possible. Let's close the health disparities gap together. My care extends beyond the clinic: I'm devoted to educating the public and raising awareness about the conditions that disproportionately affect women and minority communities.
Dr. Maggie Cadet, MD