{"id":3850,"date":"2026-09-30T11:51:26","date_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:51:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=3850"},"modified":"2026-09-30T11:51:26","modified_gmt":"2026-09-30T11:51:26","slug":"self-promotion-not-self-centeredness-elevating-diverse-voices","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsoniafawad.com\/?p=3850","title":{"rendered":"Self-promotion \u2018not self-centeredness\u2019: Elevating diverse voices"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div data-component=\"ArticleContent\">\n<div class=\"article__below-title\">\n<div class=\" article__posted-date\">\n<p>September 30, 2026<\/p>\n<p>6 min watch<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"mobile-trust-box\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-5 d-xl-none\">\n<div class=\"trust-box\">\n<div class=\"trust-box-logo d-none d-md-block\">\n            <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/h5\/feature\/news\/publogos\/hgld\/healio_gastro.svg?la=en&amp;h=40&amp;w=152&amp;hash=2C654A538F2E250F5183D42A89FE0EC0\" class=\"logo-img\" height=\"40\" alt=\"Healio Logo - Gastroenterology\" width=\"152\"\/>\n          <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"col-12 col-md-6 offset-md-1 offset-xl-0 col-xl-12\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-button-wrapper d-none\" data-component=\"EmailTopicAlert\" data-module=\"Subspecialty Email Topic Alerts Top\" data-manage-email-link=\"\/footer\/account-information\/my-account\/email-subscriptions-and-alerts#emailAlerts\">\n  <hidden data-setting-item=\"d265901d-6d37-49c7-a8f6-c7bf19a02509\"\/><br \/>\n  <hidden data-crm-source=\"Subspecialty Topic Alert\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button d-none\" data-topic-button=\"not-subscribed\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n      <span data-module-track-action=\"Email Alerts TOP_Click_Healio News Article\" data-module-track-label=\"Email Alerts TOP_Healio News Article\">&#13;<br \/>\n        <i class=\"fas fa-plus-circle\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n        Add topic to email alerts&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/span>&#13;\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-inner collapse uaa271dd9e9ef4c188ccb8d404555f7cd\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-dialogue\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n          Receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>&#13;\n        <\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-sign-up-type=\"unknown\">\n          Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <button type=\"button\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" data-loading-text=\"Loading &lt;i class=\" fa=\"\" fa-spinner=\"\" fa-spin=\"\">&#8220;&#13;<br \/>\n              data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13;<br \/>\n        Subscribe&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-topic-modal=\"failed\">    <strong>We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260929\/mailto:customerservice@slackinc.com\">customerservice@slackinc.com<\/a>.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n<p><button data-dismiss=\"modal\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block\">Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Key takeaways:<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>Self-promotion can reinforce visibility and representation without becoming self-centered.<\/li>\n<li>Effective self-advocacy pairs purpose and authenticity with humility, shared credit and teamwork for clinicians.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>For physicians from underrepresented communities, self-promotion can feel like a delicate balance: How does one own their accomplishments, expertise and leadership potential without appearing self-centered?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSelf-promotion does not mean self-centeredness. It does not mean arrogance,\u201d <b>Anita Afzali, MD, MPH, MHCM, FACG, AGAF<\/b>, from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, told Healio. \u201cIt means being able to own who you are, being comfortable with your authentic self, taking up space because you\u2019re allowed. It\u2019s serving an example for others who, especially within our communities, need that appropriate representation.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>That visibility can matter far beyond one clinician, according to Afzali. When people see someone who reflects their own experiences, backgrounds or communities stepping forward, it can <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20220412\/social-media-branding-opens-doors-helps-advance-career\">create a path for others<\/a> to follow.<\/p>\n<p>Afzali drew a clear distinction between clinicians remaining modest and remaining silent, arguing that clinicians should make their work visible without putting themselves at the center of it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHumility does not mean non-visibility,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is about making sure you are appropriately sharing, being data-driven, purpose-driven, knowing your roots, but also recognizing that this is a shared work, a shared effort and being able to follow your mission. If others are doing a great job \u2014 which they are \u2014 we want to ensure that we\u2019re recognizing where the appropriate credit is due, and oftentimes, it\u2019s not just you. Medicine is a team sport.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Self-promotion does not necessarily mean becoming the loudest voice in the room, Afzali noted, but it is pivotal to know who you are, understand what drives you, and remain connected to the experiences and communities that shaped you.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOnly you are you, so you\u2019re your unique self,\u201d she said. \u201c[Self-promotion means] being able to share your passion and your purpose, centered on your roots. [It also] means being able to serve as an example for others to help them navigate within their fields, lifting others as we climb and pulling those extra chairs out for appropriate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260923\/for-physicians-from-marginalized-groups-negotiation-is-asking-for-fairness-not-a-favor\">representation of others<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<div class=\"article__content--footer\">\n<div class=\"publisher-logo\">\n    <span>Published by:<\/span><br \/>\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/~\/media\/h5\/feature\/news\/publogos\/hgld\/healio_gastro.svg?la=en&amp;h=40&amp;w=152&amp;hash=2C654A538F2E250F5183D42A89FE0EC0\" class=\"logo-img\" height=\"40\" alt=\"Healio Logo - Gastroenterology\" width=\"152\"\/>\n  <\/div>\n<div class=\"sources-references-disclosures\">\n<h3>Sources\/Disclosures<\/h3>\n<h2> Source: <\/h2>\n<p class=\"citation\">Healio Interviews<\/p>\n<div class=\"disclosures\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n        <strong> Disclosures: <\/strong>&#13;<br \/>\n        Afzali reports advisory board positions, consulting and speaker relationships with AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly &amp; Co., Gilead Sciences, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Pfizer and Takeda.&#13;\n      <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><!-- Healio AI Widget --><\/p>\n<div class=\"healio-ai-component-inline\" data-no-ads=\"true\" data-module-track-category=\"Healio AI\" data-module-track-action=\"Click\" data-module-track-label=\"Access Healio Ai from component - News_AI Component - In-Content (all devices)\">\n<div class=\"healio-ai-content\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/m3.healio.com\/~\/media\/images\/healio-ai\/healio-ai_logo.svg\" alt=\"Healio AI\" class=\"healio-ai-logo\"\/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Ask a clinical question<\/strong> and tap into <strong>Healio AI&#8217;s knowledge<\/strong> base.<\/p>\n<ul>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>PubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines<\/li>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news<\/li>\n<p>&#13;<\/p>\n<li>Healio&#8217;s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data<\/li>\n<p>&#13;\n    <\/ul>\n<p>    <button class=\"healio-ai-button\" onclick=\"window.location.href=\" https:=\"\">Learn more<\/button>\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button-wrapper d-none\" data-component=\"EmailTopicAlert\" data-module=\"Subspecialty Email Topic Alerts Top\" data-manage-email-link=\"\/footer\/account-information\/my-account\/email-subscriptions-and-alerts#emailAlerts\">\n  <hidden data-setting-item=\"d265901d-6d37-49c7-a8f6-c7bf19a02509\"\/><br \/>\n  <hidden data-crm-source=\"Subspecialty Topic Alert\"\/><\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-button d-none\" data-topic-button=\"not-subscribed\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n      <span data-module-track-action=\"Email Alerts TOP_Click_Healio News Article\" data-module-track-label=\"Email Alerts TOP_Healio News Article\">&#13;<br \/>\n        <i class=\"fas fa-plus-circle\"\/>&#13;<br \/>\n        Add topic to email alerts&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/span>&#13;\n    <\/p>\n<div class=\"email-alert-inner collapse uaa271dd9e9ef4c188ccb8d404555f7cd\">\n<div class=\"email-alert-dialogue\">\n<p>&#13;<br \/>\n          Receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>&#13;\n        <\/p>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-sign-up-type=\"unknown\">\n          Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on <span data-content=\"topic-title\"\/>.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>      <button type=\"button\" class=\"btn btn-primary\" data-loading-text=\"Loading &lt;i class=\" fa=\"\" fa-spinner=\"\" fa-spin=\"\">&#8220;&#13;<br \/>\n              data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13;<br \/>\n        Subscribe&#13;<br \/>\n      <\/button>\n    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"d-none\" data-topic-modal=\"failed\">    <strong>We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact <a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260929\/mailto:customerservice@slackinc.com\">customerservice@slackinc.com<\/a>.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n<p><button data-dismiss=\"modal\" class=\"btn btn-primary btn-lg btn-block\">Back to Healio<\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/www.healio.com\/news\/gastroenterology\/20260929\/selfpromotion-is-not-selfcenteredness-elevating-underrepresented-voices-in-medicine\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>September 30, 2026 6 min watch &#13; &#13; &#13; Add topic to email alerts&#13; &#13; &#13; Receive an email when new articles are posted on &#13; Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . &#8220;&#13; data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13; Subscribe&#13; We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. Back to Healio Key takeaways: Self-promotion can reinforce visibility and representation without becoming self-centered. Effective self-advocacy pairs purpose and authenticity with humility, shared credit and teamwork for clinicians. For physicians from underrepresented communities, self-promotion can feel like a delicate balance: How does one own their accomplishments, expertise and leadership potential without appearing self-centered? \u201cSelf-promotion does not mean self-centeredness. It does not mean arrogance,\u201d Anita Afzali, MD, MPH, MHCM, FACG, AGAF, from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, told Healio. \u201cIt means being able to own who you are, being comfortable with your authentic self, taking up space because you\u2019re allowed. It\u2019s serving an example for others who, especially within our communities, need that appropriate representation.\u201d That visibility can matter far beyond one clinician, according to Afzali. When people see someone who reflects their own experiences, backgrounds or communities stepping forward, it can create a path for others to follow. Afzali drew a clear distinction between clinicians remaining modest and remaining silent, arguing that clinicians should make their work visible without putting themselves at the center of it. \u201cHumility does not mean non-visibility,\u201d she said. \u201cThis is about making sure you are appropriately sharing, being data-driven, purpose-driven, knowing your roots, but also recognizing that this is a shared work, a shared effort and being able to follow your mission. If others are doing a great job \u2014 which they are \u2014 we want to ensure that we\u2019re recognizing where the appropriate credit is due, and oftentimes, it\u2019s not just you. Medicine is a team sport.\u201d Self-promotion does not necessarily mean becoming the loudest voice in the room, Afzali noted, but it is pivotal to know who you are, understand what drives you, and remain connected to the experiences and communities that shaped you. \u201cOnly you are you, so you\u2019re your unique self,\u201d she said. \u201c[Self-promotion means] being able to share your passion and your purpose, centered on your roots. [It also] means being able to serve as an example for others to help them navigate within their fields, lifting others as we climb and pulling those extra chairs out for appropriate representation of others.\u201d Published by: Sources\/Disclosures Source: Healio Interviews &#13; Disclosures: &#13; Afzali reports advisory board positions, consulting and speaker relationships with AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly &amp; Co., Gilead Sciences, Johnson &amp; Johnson, Pfizer and Takeda.&#13; Ask a clinical question and tap into Healio AI&#8217;s knowledge base. &#13; PubMed, enrolling\/recruiting trials, guidelines &#13; Clinical Guidance, Healio CME, FDA news &#13; Healio&#8217;s exclusive daily news coverage of clinical data &#13; Learn more &#13; &#13; &#13; Add topic to email alerts&#13; &#13; &#13; Receive an email when new articles are posted on &#13; Please provide your email address to receive an email when new articles are posted on . &#8220;&#13; data-action=&#8221;subscribe&#8221;&gt;&#13; Subscribe&#13; We were unable to process your request. Please try again later. If you continue to have this issue please contact customerservice@slackinc.com. 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