Dr. Dave says Proudly VM has taken steps to ensure transgender patients receive appropriate services. The team also helped develop a guide for primary care physicians on how to screen patients who may benefit from PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for HIV.
Mentoring the Next Generation
Knowing that Washington state faces a significant shortage of rheumatologists—especially in its rural areas—Dr. Dave has been working to address the gap.
“I’m really proud that VMFH now has one of the newest rheumatology fellowship programs in the country,” Dr. Dave says. “We’re one of just three rheumatology fellowships accredited by ACGME [the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, with funding provided by the Rheumatology Research Foundation,] in 2024. I serve as the fellowship’s associate program director, and we had our first two fellows start this summer.”
Dr. Dave’s journey into medicine began with earning dual undergraduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh: a Bachelor of Arts in Russian and Eastern European history, and a Bachelor of Science in biological sciences and neuroscience. He earned his medical degree from the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, followed by an internship and residency in internal medicine at Stanford Hospital and Clinics in Palo Alto, Calif.
He then completed a rheumatology fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, and earned a Master of Public Health with a concentration in clinical effectiveness from the T.H. Chan Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
Dr. Dave says his work in educating the public about lead poisoning has naturally led to advocacy and outreach in other areas.
“I started getting involved in educating people about prior authorization reform, which is a huge issue in the rheumatology field,” he says. “I get really frustrated when patients face delays in care—not because of anything they’ve done, but because pharmacy benefit managers and insurance carriers choose to put up more red tape and barriers to accessing their medications.”
Although volunteering can be time consuming, Dr. Dave says he’s made countless friendships, connections and partnerships—and met many wonderful people along the way.
“We’re seeing epidemic rates of loneliness and the only way to combat that is to get involved in your community with others who share your passions,” Dr. Dave says. “Whether it’s in the arts, rheumatology or medical education, you’ll find something that nourishes your soul and gives you the chance to give back to others.”
