Diana Rodríguez, AB ’89, MD ’94 (Class of 1993), MPH ’94, MBA
In the 31 years since leaving the halls of Harvard Medical School, I feel like I have lived many lives. So much has changed, and yet many core issues remain the same. I have worked in the trenches of military, academic, and private practice and have also viewed medicine through business, regulatory, and legal lenses. Medicine is a complex and dynamic field, but at its heart remain the patient and the physician. My work as an advocate for patient safety has strengthened my conviction that physician well-being is inseparable from patient safety.
Today, as we witness an unprecedented attack on science, public health, and even the integrity of medical professionals, I believe it is more important than ever to speak up—for science, for our patients, and for each other as physicians. Silence and complacency are luxuries we can no longer afford.
I spend a great deal of time listening to colleagues, young and old. A common theme, more palpable since the pandemic, is that physicians increasingly feel like factory workers rather than active participants in their careers and lives. Many feel unprotected and voiceless. I want to be part of a dialogue that broadens medical education to include the business of medicine—skills such as contract negotiation, crisis management, and professional advocacy.
Equally important is strengthening the network between alumni, students, and HMS to foster communication and mutual support. These connections sustain us—through bias, burnout, administrative barriers, illness, and the challenges of caring for others while trying to care for ourselves. Even those of us who did not know each other at HMS have found solidarity through shared experiences after graduation. I hope to help build and expand these bonds for future generations.
Diana Rodríguez, AB ’89, MD ’94 (Class of 1993), MPH ’94, MBA, FACOG, is a board-certified maternal-fetal medicine specialist who has practiced since 2001. She is a fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and a member of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, and the International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Rodríguez graduated cum laude from Harvard-Radcliffe College in 1989 and earned her MD from Harvard Medical School and an MPH in community health from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where she received multiple awards, including the Hewlett-Packard Top Medical Graduate Award. She completed her residency and fellowship in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Following training, she served on active duty as a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for meritorious service.
In 2021, Rodríguez earned an MBA and a certificate in management leadership from the George Washington School of Business (GWSB), broadening her perspective on health care systems and policy. She helped organize an international conference on leadership during health care crises, focusing on crisis management and systemic resilience. As part-time faculty at GWSB, she teaches a graduate-level course, Data Analysis for Business Decision Making, mentoring students and physicians who seek to improve health care through data-driven decision-making.
Her research and publications span topics including ultrasound, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, cervical length assessment, and the effects of smoking in pregnancy. She is a peer reviewer for Obstetrics and Gynecology and has mentored international physicians in ultrasound.
Rodríguez has served as director of practice standards and safety and as clerkship director for medical and physician assistant students at St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center. A staunch advocate for patient and provider safety, she has participated in internal and external safety reviews and medicolegal consulting. She serves on two national committees focused on advancing women’s health and community safety and currently works as an in-house medical expert for a Philadelphia-based firm.
A recognized educator and mentor, Rodríguez has received numerous teaching awards from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, and Tufts Medical Center. Dedicated to service and mentorship, she has long supported first-generation and underrepresented students, serving as matching director for the First-Generation Harvard Alumni Mentorship Program and as co-chair for her 30th HMS Reunion. Since college, she has remained active with EVkids, a Harvard-based program supporting Boston youth through academic mentorship.
Through her diverse roles—as physician, educator, advocate, and mentor—Rodríguez remains deeply committed to advancing maternal-fetal health, promoting physician well-being, and upholding the integrity of science and patient care.