AAPI Heritage Month Spotlights: Dr. Tina Cheng and Dr. Amy Shah

Posted byOffice of Academic Affairs and Career DevelopmentPosted inResources for Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion

May is Asian Pacific American (AAPI) Heritage Month! The Office of Academic Affairs and Career Development is commemorating this year’s celebration by spotlighting AAPI faculty at Cincinnati Children’s. This week, we are spotlighting Dr. Tina Cheng and Dr. Amy Shah.

Tina Cheng, MD, MPH

Dr. Tina Cheng is the B.K. Rachford Professor and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics, Director of the CCRF, and Chief Medical Office of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital and Medical Center. Her clinical work, teaching, research, and advocacy focus on child, adolescent, and family perspectives on improving health, as well as community-integrated models to interrupt the intergenerational cycle of disadvantage, and innovation for excellent and equitable health outcomes. An author of over 200 publications, Cheng has been the principal investigator on numerous federal and foundation grants, including grants from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Maternal and Child Health Bureau, National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Dr. Cheng identifies as Chinese American. She received her medical degree from Brown University and completed her pediatrics residency and chief residency at the University of California, San Francisco, and San Francisco General Hospital. Cheng received her master’s degree in public health in epidemiology from the University of California, Berkeley. She completed her preventive medicine residency at UC Berkeley and her fellowship in academic general pediatrics at the University of Massachusetts.

We asked Dr. Cheng:
Dr. Cheng presenting awards for 2023 and 2024 Faculty Awards Ceremonies; photos by Mark Lyons

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

I am most proud of leading an incredible faculty and staff team here at CCHMC. I am proud of the clinical care, research, education, and advocacy we do to improve the lives of children, adolescents, and families.

What/who inspired you to pursue a career in medicine/research?

As a kid, I read a book about a child with osteogenesis imperfecta and I was inspired by her resilience and the commitment of her care team to help.  My parents always instilled in me to dream big and the helping and healing profession of medicine became my goal.

What moment in your cultural history influenced or shaped your personal/academic/career trajectory?

I grew up in Iowa where there was little racial ethnic diversity.  My parents were immigrants and I felt proud of my heritage but different from my peers. In college, I was exposed to greater diversity and became more interested in issues of health equity.  Scholarship in child health equity has been a focus of my career.

Amy Shah, MD, MS, FNLA

Dr. Amy Shah is the Director of the Adolescent Type 2 Diabetes Program and the Director of Research Operations in Endocrinology. She is also the Associate Program Director of the BMCP T32 Training Grant and a Professor in the Division of Endocrinology. Dr. Shah’s clinical specialties include Type 2 diabetes, obesity, primary and secondary lipid disorders, and hypertension. Her research focuses on the prevention of diabetes and the long-term health consequences for those who do develop diabetes.

Dr. Shah completed her MD at the St. George’s University Medical School and her pediatric residency at the Loyola University Medical Center. She also completed fellowships in endocrinology and research at Cincinnati Children’s, and her MS in clinical research at the University of Cincinnati.

We asked Dr. Shah:

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

From Dr. Shah’s Lab Page

While I am extremely proud of my work as a researcher in type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular risk, my greatest source of pride lies in my accomplishments as a clinician and mentor. My patients are the driving force behind my dedication to work. Knowing that I may positively impact a child with diabetes or an individual with an endocrine or lipid condition makes my job immensely rewarding. Additionally, I cherish the opportunity to mentor and train the next generation of physicians and researchers, who bring creative ideas and excitement to our profession.

What/who inspired you to pursue a career in medicine/research?

Initially, my aspiration was to become an elementary school teacher, driven by the desire to better the lives of children. However, my parents persuaded me that becoming a doctor would fulfill the same purpose. Since the age of 10, my ambition has been to pursue a career in medicine.

What moment in your cultural history influenced or shaped your personal/academic/career trajectory?

My grandfather was a servant in India, working multiple jobs to put my father through school and college. From an early age, my father instilled in my sister and me the importance of education and how it opens endless opportunities. Even today, I have a strong passion for learning. My husband finds it amusing every time I announce that I’ve signed up to try something new.

Read more about AAPI Heritage Month!