CMO featured in Medical Magazine

University at Buffalo Medicine Summer 2017
September 14, 2017

Carla Henke, MD '08
Adelaide and Brendan Griswold Scholar

As chief medical officer for the Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit Community of Hope, family medicine physician Carla Henke, MD ’08, witnesses the importance of access to health care from both sides of the desk. Two days a week, Henke sees patients in one of the organization’s three health centers, and the other three days she works as an administrator. “It’s a good mix. Working in the clinics keeps my professional skills up and helps me understand the challenges that the other providers face, while the administrative work allows me to address clinical quality outcomes and seek ways to promote the community health initiatives that are so important in the neighborhoods we serve.”

Henke is particularly interested in improving health literacy within the community, as well as addressing issues of health disparity. “Race, cultural differences, economics—they all contribute to health problems. We’re treating an underserved population in which health care is often neglected, so I’m concerned with what it means to provide health care to a community, not just an individual.”

Henke says that her view of family medicine was deeply impacted by her time at UB. “Dr. Kim Griswold and Dr. Robert Burke were two incredible mentors for me.” Working with Griswold, UB associate professor of family medicine, psychiatry, and public health and health professions, allowed Henke to experience family medicine practice in a university setting, while working with Dr. Burke exposed her to practice in a rural environment. “I had two very different experiences within the same specialty, which was great. I love the variety in family medicine. You never know what patient will walk through the door.”

Henke’s enthusiasm for her specialty during medical school did not go unnoticed. At graduation, she was chosen to receive the Adelaide and Brendan Griswold Scholarship for her dedication to family medicine. “It was such an honor and a great gift to have when starting my residency. It made me feel confident in continuing on my career path in family medicine.”