Leonor Corsino Oral History Interviews, 2024

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Summary

Creator:
Corsino, Leonor
Abstract:
Dr. Leonor Corsino, Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences, and Associate Dean for Students Affairs/Advisory Dean Duke School of Medicine MD program, is a Board-Certified Adult Endocrinologist and an experienced physician-scientist, organizational, and health professions education leader. Corsino's journey as a physician-scientist is driven by a genuine desire for change, rooted in her vision to address healthcare disparities, especially within Latino and Hispanic communities in Durham, North Carolina. Since joining Duke University in 2006, Corsino has become a leading advocate for community-engaged research and Latinx representation. Through her various initiatives and leadership roles, she continues to advocate for a more representative and equitable future in medicine. In her role as the Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee, she launched the Latino Initiative, significantly increasing the number of Hispanic/Latino residents and fellows. Corsino also played a key role in establishing the Latino Faculty Group at Duke School of Medicine and serves as an advisor to the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA). Additionally, she serves as the Associate Director for the Duke School of Medicine Master of Biomedical Sciences, actively shaping the educational landscape. This collection contains 2 oral history interviews conducted on January 22 and March 18, 2024 by Fiorella Orozco as part of the Bass Connections Agents of Change Oral History Project. In the January 22, 2024 interview, Corsino discusses her role as an activist at Duke Health. In the March 18, 2024 interview, Corsino discusses her roles as a mentor and her impactful initiatives aimed to increase diversity at the Duke School of Medicine. The themes of these interviews include health disparities, community based research, research, diversity initiatives, and mentorship.
Extent:
2 interviews (2 transcripts) and 764 MB
Collection ID:
OH.CORSINOL

Background

Scope and content:

Includes 2 oral history interviews with Dr. Leonor Corsino conducted on January 22, 2024 and March 18, 2024 by Fiorella Orozco as part of the Bass Connections Agents of Change Oral History Project.

In the January 22, 2024 interview, Corsino discusses her role as an activist at Duke Health. The themes of this interview include health disparities, community-based research, mentorship, and diversity initiatives.

In the March 18, 2024 interview, Corsino discusses her roles as a mentor and her impactful initiatives aimed to increase diversity at the Duke School of Medicine. The themes of this interview include health disparities, research, and mentorship.

Biographical / historical:

Dr. Leonor Corsino, Associate Professor of Medicine, Associate Professor in Population Health Sciences, and Associate Dean for Students Affairs/Advisory Dean Duke School of Medicine MD program, is a Board-Certified Adult Endocrinologist and an experienced physician-scientist, organizational, and health professions education leader.

Corsino grew up in the Dominican Republic where she received her medical degree from Pontificia Universidad Catholica Madre Y Maestra (Dominican Republic) in 1999. She earned her MHS at Duke University School of Medicine in 2009. Corsino's journey as a physician-scientist is driven by a genuine desire for change, rooted in her vision to address healthcare disparities, especially within Latino and Hispanic communities in Durham, North Carolina. Her interest in endocrinology was sparked by her father's battle with diabetes, which led her to pursue a career dedicated to providing compassionate care to those with chronic health conditions. After completing her medical degree in her home country, she moved to the United States in 2002.

Since joining Duke University in 2006, Corsino has become a leading advocate for community-engaged research and Latinx representation. Through her various initiatives and leadership roles, she continues to advocate for a more representative and equitable future in medicine. "As an advocate, I'm always sitting at tables where maybe I'm the only one [raising] questions that I think might help minority populations--or even majority populations. By feeling comfortable asking sometimes tough questions, I think I make other people think about them, and hopefully change systems to make it better for everybody," she states.

In her role as the Associate Chair of the Department of Medicine Minority Recruitment and Retention Committee, she launched the Latino Initiative, significantly increasing the number of Hispanic/Latino residents and fellows. Corsino also played a key role in establishing the Latino Faculty Group at Duke School of Medicine and serves as an advisor to the Latino Medical Student Association (LMSA). Additionally, she serves as the Associate Director for the Duke School of Medicine Master of Biomedical Sciences, actively shaping the educational landscape.

Reflecting on her career and personal growth, Corsino shares, "As I get older, I try to think less about the future and more about the present, about what I can do today to make a difference." Her journey stands as a testament to unwavering dedication to activism, education, and research, making a lasting impact on healthcare disparities and shaping a more inclusive future for the medical community.

Acquisition information:
Accession A2024.067 (transferred by Rebecca Williams, May 2024)
Processing information:

Processed by Lucy Waldrop: September 2024

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series: Interviews, January 22 and March 18, 2024
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Contents

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Restrictions:

None.

Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Leonor Corsino Oral History Interviews, Duke University Medical Center Archives.