Where are they now? Meet Thomas Robey

Former FOSEP leaders pursue diverse careers at the intersection of science and society. FOSEP attracts graduate students and postdocs who are passionate about connecting scientific discovery and the use of new knowledge for the benefit of society. Nearly all credit FOSEP for influencing  their career choices, which span a wide range of fields and sectors. A series of posts will highlight the career paths of former FOSEP leaders.

Thomas Robey M.D., Ph.D. is currently a senior resident in emergency medicine at Yale-New Haven Hospital in Connecticut.

Thomas Robey joined a team of five founding co-directors of the Seattle chapter in 2004 and served as co-director until 2007, when he completed his Ph.D. in bioengineering. Robey split his time between research on heart disease, managing FOSEP, and organizing FOSEP events.  As a senior medical student between 2007-2009, he planned and taught a course called 'Ethics in the ER,’ led the development of an medical school honor code, and wrote frequently on bioethics issues.

Robey continues to explore bioethics as a senior resident. In addition to his clinical duties, he is funded by a Greenwall Foundation research grant to study ethics issues surrounding radiation exposure from CT scans ordered in the emergency department.  He also serves on the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's Ethics Committee and has contributed as author and editor to the American Medical Association's ethics journal Virtual Mentor.

Robey credits his FOSEP experience with developing his appreciation for the complexity of interactions between science, medicine, policy. “I became much more aware of need for innovative solutions to current healthcare policy challenges and the link between research and practice,” he says.