Alumna Named the 2023 AUA Gallagher Health Policy Scholar

The American Urological Association (AUA) named Dr. Denise Asafu-Adjei the 2023 AUA Gallagher Health Policy Scholar.

The Gallagher Health Policy Scholar Program is a highly competitive, yearlong intensive training designed to prepare the next generation of urologists for leadership positions in health policy. The program was created in 2007 in honor of former AUA Executive Director G. James Gallagher.

"I am prepared and excited to be fully immersed in the health policy work of the AUA as the 2023 Gallagher Scholar," said Asafu-Adjei, who earned her bachelor's degree in biological sciences from Carnegie Mellon University in 2008.

The program annually sponsors that year's scholar to attend national conferences and meetings, receive mentoring from AUA physicians in senior roles and participate in a week-long health policy seminar for surgeons sponsored by the American College of Surgeons. It also offers scholars educational activities across the year to further their understanding of today's health policy issues that impact urology care.

"Dr. Asafu-Adjei has demonstrated a consistent presence and engagement assisting in the formulation of health policy for urology." said Dr. Eugene Rhee, the AUA public policy chair. "We look forward seeing her grow her expertise expand her leadership even further through the Gallagher program."

Dr. Asafu-Adjei is an assistant professor of urology at Loyola University Chicago-Stritch School of Medicine, where she serves as the medical director of male reproductive medicine and holds a dual appointment at the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health.

She earned her doctor of medicine degree at the University of Michigan Medical School and her master's degree of public health at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Asafu-Adjei's earliest exposure to health policy was at Carnegie Mellon, where she earned a minor in health policy and management and subsequently co-chaired the National Advocacy Forum for the Student National Medical Association.

During her residency at Columbia University Irving Medical Center of the New York Presbyterian enterprise, Asafu-Adjei was awarded a grant from the Society of Academic Urologists to develop an e-course, "Essentials of Health Policy for the Urologist." She serves as chair of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee for the Sexual Medicine Society of North America.

Asafu-Adjei is active within the AUA and is a member of the inaugural AUA Diversity and Inclusion Committee. She also serves on the AUA Legislative Affairs committee, which she notes has been a tremendous opportunity to learn about the complex process of engagement with elected representatives, AUA sections, special interest groups and how the AUA executes the policy agenda.