Karey M. Sutton, PhD

Karey M. Sutton, PhD, is the scientific director for health equity research at the MedStar Health Research Institute (MHRI), where she is responsible for advancing the overall strategy and growth of the system’s health equity research initiatives. These seek to investigate health disparities, structural inequities, and social determinants of health in patient safety, patient engagement, digital health, diagnostics, and chronic disease management. She is also in charge of leading the growth of the MHRI Center for Health Equity Research.   

During her ten years at the Association of American Medical Colleges, Dr. Sutton was instrumental in launching the AAMC Center for Health Justice, an effort dedicated to advocating for community-centered research to address health and health care disparities in academic medicine. Dr. Sutton’s work at the AAMC focused on developing resources to help academic medical centers build the evidence base and partner with communities to address health injustice and community health needs.  

In 2020, Dr. Sutton was named a National Minority Quality Forum 40 Under 40 Leader in Health, an award that recognizes thought leaders in minority health around the country whose work focuses on reducing health and health care disparities and building sustainable healthy communities. Additionally, she serves on the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Technical Expert Panel for the maternal morbidity electronic clinical quality measure and the Prince George’s Healthcare Action Coalition. Dr. Sutton received undergraduate degrees in chemistry and classical civilization from Howard University and a PhD in science and technology policy from Virginia Tech.