Utibe R. Essien, MD, MPH

Utibe R. Essien, MD, MPH is a board-certified, internal medicine physician, an Assistant Professor of Medicine and health equity researcher at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. Dr. Essien received his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and trained in internal medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Harvard Medical School. After residency he remained at MGH to complete a research fellowship and receive a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Dr. Essien’s research focuses on equitable access and inapproproate variation in the use of novel medications and technologies in the management of cardiovascular diseases. In 2021, he introduced the concept “pharmacoequity,” providing a new framework to achieving equitable access to care. He is an emerging leader in the field, as recognized by over 100 peer-reviewed publications and research grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs and the American Heart Association. His research has been featured in several national news outlets including the New York Times, Washington Post, and NPR.