“One of several lessons I learned from NMF is that patients are often unaware clinical trials provide access to treatment.”  

Dr. Peta-Gay A. Ricketts — a 2022 National Medical Fellowships (NMF) Doctors in Clinical Trials Research program alumna — was recently invited by Janssen Immunology to participate on an advisory board concerning health inequities and underrepresentation in clinical trials.  

“We discussed issues such as the fact that although the prevalence of African American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) ranges from 30-50%, they make up just 14% of recruited patients in trials for that disease,” she said.  

“I strongly emphasized the need for continued support to organizations like NMF; to increase underrepresented patient populations, we need diverse physicians participating in clinical trials.”

Dr. Ricketts emigrated from Jamaica to New York City with her family at the age of 11 and earned both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in biology from Seton Hall University.  

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), however, proved to be a barrier for her.  

“When I didn’t get accepted into medical school, my mentors encouraged me to pursue a career in research,” she recounted. “I worked with a rheumatologist at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research in New York for four years, gaining invaluable clinical trial experience and a deeper understanding of immunology.”  

When Dr. Ricketts retook the MCAT, she presumed her scores were not competitive for admission into medical school.  

“I almost withdrew my application,” she said. “However, with the support of the physicians I worked with in the lab, I interviewed and was accepted.”  

Dr. Ricketts earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in 2018.  

“Although I took a non-traditional path, each experience contributed to my growth and development as a clinician.”

Dr. Ricketts subsequently completed a residency in internal medicine at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital and a fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.  

“A mentor in my fellowship program introduced me to NMF’s Dctr program,” she said. “My goal was to gain the skills and education required to effectively design and conduct clinical trials as a principal investigator.”  

Today, Dr. Ricketts works as a board-certified rheumatologist and serves on the Adult Medical Specialties DEI Committee at Atrium Health in Charlotte, NC. 

“I hope to participate in the clinical trials at our practice,” she said.  

At the local and nationwide levels, as evidenced by her recent participation in Janssen’s advisory board, Dr. Ricketts said she aspires to positively impact recruitment and retention efforts in clinical trials that will help improve the prognoses and quality of care for underserved and underrepresented patient populations.