Professor of Pediatrics Norberto Rodriguez-Baez, M.D., a physician with a long record of helping minority medical students and college students interested in pursuing the field, has been named the new Associate Dean of Student Affairs for the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion. In this role, he will work to recruit, retain, and support underrepresented minority (URM) medical students.

Dr. Rodriguez-Baez had served in the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion as Assistant Dean under Shawna Nesbitt, M.D., M.S., who was recently selected the inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer. Since 2003, Dr. Rodriguez-Baez has served as an adviser for minority medical students and college students considering a career in medicine.

He came to UT Southwestern in 2001 after receiving his medical degree and completing a pediatrics residency at the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine and a fellowship in pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology, and nutrition at Stanford University School of Medicine/Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.

At UT Southwestern, Dr. Rodriguez-Baez specializes in the care of pediatric patients with gastrointestinal and liver diseases. For 18 years, he was Director of the Pediatric Gastroenterology Fellowship Program and pediatric gastroenterology resident and medical student education. He is involved in research related to acute liver failure, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and other liver diseases.

Dr. Rodriguez-Baez, who is a native of Puerto Rico and a first-generation college student, said one of his goals is to honor those who helped him along the way by “paying it forward.” “This is such a great honor,” he said of his new appointment that took effect Dec. 5. “It is wonderful to have the opportunity to increase the diversity and pipeline of students and help and guide them on their journey.”

Another priority, he said, will be to expand current programs and develop new outreach strategies to diversify UTSW’s future physician workforce. Dr. Rodriguez-Baez helped recruit the current class of medical students, which – with 56% female and 31% underrepresented minority students – is the most diverse medical class to date.

Other goals include enhancing recruitment and retention efforts and helping the institution’s medical students be more successful as they work toward completing their degrees and becoming excellent physicians.

Dr. Rodriguez-Baez said he would also like to educate students about the importance of increasing health care equity and improving health care for the community UT Southwestern serves.

He is the current Secretary-Treasurer of the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition Training Committee. In 2022, he received that organization’s Master Educator Award, which recognizes individuals who have made a significant and sustained contribution to the gastroenterology field through education scholarship on a national or international basis.