Assistant Professor, Boston Medical Center
Dr. Ivania M. Rizo, MD, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and an Attending Physician at Boston Medical Center. A specialist in endocrinology, diabetes, and obesity medicine, she is a first-generation Nicaraguan-American physician deeply committed to health equity. Her leadership extends to directing the Obesity Medicine program and co-leading multiple initiatives addressing racial disparities in diabetes care. Fluent in Spanish, Dr. Rizo brings a culturally responsive approach to patient care and academic leadership. Her work integrates clinical service, education, mentorship, and systems-based interventions to improve health outcomes for underserved populations. As an active mentor and educator, she shapes future physicians while championing community-based solutions to chronic health challenges. Her efforts in diversity and inclusion exemplify her mission-driven approach to medicine.
Profile
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💼 Experience
Dr. Rizo has over 15 years of diverse clinical and academic experience. She served as an attending physician and Assistant Professor of Medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 2013 to 2016. Since 2016, she has held roles at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine, where she currently serves as Assistant Professor and Director of Obesity Medicine. She is also a Clinical Lead for the Health Equity Accelerator initiatives focused on diabetes and cardiometabolic equity. Her teaching spans undergraduate, residency, and fellowship levels, emphasizing obesity, diabetes, and endocrine disorders. She leads efforts in community health, innovation, and systems improvement, including quality improvement projects and curriculum development. She has also contributed to inpatient care, interdisciplinary team leadership, and bilingual clinical services.
🏅 Awards and Honors
Dr. Rizo’s academic excellence began early, with induction into Phi Beta Kappa and recognition by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Undergraduate Program. She has held state medical licenses in Alabama and Massachusetts and is certified by multiple medical boards, including internal medicine, endocrinology, and obesity medicine. Her leadership development includes competitive programs at Boston University and the QI Hub at Boston Medical Center. She is a graduate of the prestigious Executive Program in Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare at MIT Sloan. These honors reflect her dual commitment to academic rigor and transformative healthcare delivery. Through her administrative and clinical roles, she has gained recognition as a driving force for health equity and system-wide change.
🔬 Research Focus
Dr. Rizo’s research addresses the intersection of endocrinology, obesity, and health equity, with particular emphasis on diabetes disparities and social determinants of health (SDOH). She leads studies investigating post-bariatric weight regain and community-centered care models that promote cardiometabolic equity. Her scholarly efforts explore how structural and racial inequalities impact outcomes in obesity and diabetes care. Dr. Rizo also plays a major role in quality improvement research, including scalable interventions for high-risk patients. As a clinical educator, she integrates evidence-based practices into teaching and mentorship. Her research aligns with Boston Medical Center’s Health Equity Accelerator and national calls for inclusive innovation in chronic disease management.
✅Conclusion
Dr. Ivania M. Rizo is a highly deserving candidate for the Best Researcher Award. Her research and leadership in obesity and diabetes care, especially through the lens of health equity, combine clinical relevance with social impact. With continued expansion in publication record and research funding leadership, her already strong profile will reach exceptional stature. Her holistic and inclusive approach to medicine, education, and community outreach aligns perfectly with the award’s vision of transformative research excellence.
Publication
Title: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Obesity among Trained and In-training Primary Care Providers in an Urban Safety-Net Hospital System
Authors: Alejandro Campos, Kathryn L. Fantasia, Ivania Rizo
Year: 2025
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obpill.2025.100185
Title: Racial Disparities in Diabetes Technology Use and Outcomes in Type 1 Diabetes in a Safety-Net Hospital
Authors: Kathryn L. Fantasia, Kamonkiat Wirunsawanya, Christopher Lee, Ivania Rizo
Year: 2021
Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296821995810
Title: Rational Design of a Peptide Agonist That Interacts Selectively with the Orphan Receptor, Bombesin Receptor Subtype 3
Authors: Mantey SA, Coy DH, Pradhan TK, Igarashi H, Rizo IM, Shen L, Hou W, Hocart SJ, Jensen RT
Year: 2001
Link: https://doi.org/10.1074/jbc.M010355200
Title: Effect of vaccinations with recombinant fusion proteins on Ancylostoma caninum habitat selection in the canine intestine
Authors: Hotez PJ, Ashcom J, Bin, Bethony J, Williamson A, Hawdon JM, Jianjun F, Dobardzic A, Rizo I, Bolden J, Jin Q, Yan W, Dobardzic R, Chung-Debose S, Crowell M, Datu B, Delaney A, Dragonovski D, Jiang Y, Yueyuan L, Ghosh K, Loukas A, Brandt W, Russell PK, Zook BC
Year: 2002
Link: https://doi.org/10.1645/0022-3395(2002)088[0684:EOVWRF]2.0.CO;2
Title: Postoperative day 1 versus postoperative day 5 morning cortisol for predicting an intact hypothalamic-pituitary axis: A cohort analysis
Authors: Dupepe E, Patel D, Miller J, Rizo I, Vaughan TB, Riley K
Year: 2019
Link: https://doi.org/10.25259/SNI-69-2019
Title: Racial Disparities in Diabetes Technology Use and Outcomes in Type 1 Diabetes in a Safety-Net Hospital
Authors: Fantasia KL, Wirunsawanya K, Lee C, Rizo I
Year: 2021
Link: https://doi.org/10.1177/1932296821995810
Title: Factors Associated with Inpatient Complications among Patients with Obesity and COVID-19 at an Urban Safety-Net Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Ryan T, Heyman A, McLaughlin A, Rizo I, Assoumou S
Year: 2022
Link: https://doi.org/10.1002/osp4.623
Title: Assessing Clinician Engagement with a Passive Clinical Decision Support System for Liver Fibrosis Risk Stratification in a Weight Management Clinic
Authors: Mohanty A, Austad K, Bosch N, Long MT, Nolen-Doerr E, Walkey AJ, Drainoni M, Rizo I, Fantasia KL
Year: 2025
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eprac.2025.04.014
Title: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices in Obesity among Trained and In-training Primary Care Providers in Urban Safety-Net Hospital System
Authors: Campos A, Fantasia K, Rizo I
Year: 2025
Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obpill.2025.100185