Background
Rachel Salas, M.D., earned a Bachelor of Science in biology from St. Mary’s University in Texas. She went on to complete medical school and a neurology residency at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. After her chief resident year, she came to Baltimore to complete a two-year fellowship in sleep medicine at Johns Hopkins, and she joined the Department of Neurology in 2008 as an assistant professor. Currently, she is an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins Medicine, with a joint appointment at the school of nursing. Dr. Salas completed a Master of Education at the Johns Hopkins University School of Education in 2018, and she is a certified strengths coach. She is the director of the neurology clerkship and the director of interprofessional education and collaborative practice (IPCP) for the school of medicine. She also serves as a faculty adviser for the Master of Education in health professions program at the school of education. In 2019, she was selected as a Macy Faculty Scholar.
Dr. Salas’ academic, educational and research pursuits are currently focused on IPCP and health systems science. She is invested in training future leaders and building teams in health care. While there has been increasing focus to deliver personalized approaches to care in clinical settings, these can deemphasize the importance of looking at patients as unique individuals and their life experiences, social support, goals and the like. An approach to care inculcated by IPCP can help clinical teams not only better communicate but also provide a more holistic understanding of the patient than any single clinician is able to, which can lead to improved outcomes.
Dr. Salas’ clinical scientific pursuits are focused on seeking a better understanding of the neurophysiological changes associated with sleep disorders such as insomnia and restless legs syndrome, in order to promote better diagnosis, management and quality of life.