Tayyab Diwan, MD, Associate Professor of Surgery at UC College of Medicine in the division of transplantation surgery, is being honored with The Health Collaborative’s 2018 Inspire | Healthcare Champion Award.
Each year, The Health Collaborative recognizes the healthcare heroes in our community at the Inspire | Healthcare Celebration and Awards Ceremony. This year’s sold-out event is being held on November 8 at The Center downtown.
The Inspire | Healthcare Champion Award is awarded to an organization or individual who has demonstrated collaboration, engagement, and innovation toward the mission of improving health and healthcare. Further, they’ve INSPIRED others to do the same.
The Health Collaborative (THC) exists to find solutions to healthcare’s most challenging problems. These challenges and opportunities focus on many things but all lead back to one main initiative — to make the future of healthcare better for generations to come.
Tayyab Diwan MD, Associate Professor of Surgery at UC College of Medicine in the division of transplantation surgery
The TAP MD program does just that by identifying and molding the next generation of high school students interested in pursuing careers as healthcare professionals. Since 2013, there is perhaps no bigger champion of the program than Dr. Tayyab Diwan of UC Health. For his efforts and dedication, The Health Collaborative proudly names Dr. Diwan as our 2018 Inspire | Healthcare Champion.
Dr. Diwan, an associate professor of surgery at UC College of Medicine in the division of transplantation surgery, saw the potential and incredible opportunity the TAP MD program would afford talented students in Greater Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky and Southwest Indiana.
“From the beginning, Dr. Diwan was an advocate for TAP MD,” said Heleena McKinney, manager of the Healthcare Workforce Innovation at THC. “Without his support, we would not have been able to give these students the hand-on experiences they were able to participate in this year. He has been an integral part of the success of this program and we know it will only strengthen from here as we continue to grow and expand on what these students are exposed to.”
Building a Healthier Pipeline
The TAP MD program is part of the Health Collaborative’s Healthcare Workforce Innovation initiative. Through the program, high-achieving high school juniors and seniors get a unique opportunity to “tap” into their talent and explore what it would be like to be a physician in today’s healthcare environment. It gives them the opportunity to get a taste for the profession as they consider their college and long-term career goals.
One example of the level of real-world experiences that these students receive through Dr. Diwan is through live surgeries. For the last six years, he has invited students into the hospital where they can view these surgeries as they happen. This year was no exception as the group was invited to a live behind-the-scenes observation of a kidney transplant surgery, led by Dr. Diwan. But, just like the real world, things didn’t exactly go according to plan and the surgery had to be rescheduled at the last minute.
Instead of cancelling on the students, Dr. Diwan made sure their experience was still just as valuable. Watching from the UC Health surgical amphitheater, the students donned their white Tap MD lab coats and opened their minds to the world of surgery by watching a taped recording of a similar procedure. They also were able to tour the facility and see the surgical equipment and instruments required for the operation.
“This type of education — whether live or videotaped — is invaluable to these students,” said McKinney. It’s not something they would be able to experience through a lecture or a text book. It’s giving these students a unique opportunity very early in their lives and we wholeheartedly thank Dr. Diwan for his dedication to making things like this happen for these students.”
Student Success Speaks Volumes
The success of the program speaks to the value it provides, with 92 percent of TAP MD students going on to pursue a physician or advanced-level profession such as a physician assistant or advanced nurse practitioner.
As one TAP MD student recently described, “I have enjoyed every moment of TAP MD and have learned so much. I know now more than ever that I want to be a doctor. I hope someday you are bringing students to watch me perform surgery.”
“I have enjoyed every moment of TAP MD and have learned so much. I know now more than ever that I want to be a doctor. I hope someday you are bringing students to watch me perform surgery.”
Not surprisingly, Dr. Diwan’s focus on education and mentoring goes beyond the TAP MD program. He has been at the University of Cincinnati since 2011, and during his time there, he has become well-known as a technically proficient surgeon and mentor. He has been the program director of the multi-organ transplant fellowship since 2012 and is involved in fellow education at the national level through the ASTS (American Society of Transplant Surgery). Dr. Diwan has also furthered the field of transplantation education with the development and initiation of the only National Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy Workshop.
The Health Collaborative is proud to honor Dr. Tayyab Diwan of UC Health as the 2018 Inspire Champion for his work in educating our youth and playing an integral role in the success of the TAP MD program since 2013.
