On Monday afternoon, Dr. Wen joined Karen DeSalvo, Acting Assistant Secretary for Health in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, John Auerbach, Director of Policy at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and health directors across the country in Washington, DC at the Public Health 3.0 conference.

While there, the panel discussed the future of healthcare with George Washington public health students and professionals. Dr. Wen spoke about her experience in medicine, her path to becoming the Baltimore City Health Commissioner and Healthy Baltimore 2020.

When asked for any advice to give to the future public health leaders in the room, she advises that they should focus on asking the organization’s and people they serve for what contribution they need, rather than assuming to know the answer.

Dr. Wen further discussed the inequities seen in Baltimore, which “keep her up at night”. She says that in order to improve our city, we must call out the injustices. As a result, the new strategic plan for health in the city, Healthy Baltimore 2020, focuses on breaking down the systemic disparities our communities experience by reducing trauma and working in the community to save children’s lives and reduce violence.