Vivian J. Bea, MD an Assistant Professor of Surgery at New York Presbyterian-Weill Cornell Medicine, and Section Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology At New York Presbyterian-Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. Dr. Bea received her master’s degree in biology from Drexel University and her medical degree from Morehouse School of Medicine. She is board-certified in General Surgery and completed her training in General Surgery at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, South Carolina. Dr. Bea then went on to complete a fellowship in Breast Surgical Oncology at the prestigious University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. She is a breast cancer disparities researcher, educator, and community outreach leader. As a leader in the community, Dr. Bea has focused on bridging the gap between multidisciplinary breast cancer treatment and community barriers. Dr. Bea’s dedication to the community is evident in her multifaceted community outreach programs designed to address breast cancer disparities in Black women through increased breast cancer screening, innovative community education, and navigation. She is the creator and course director for the Weill Cornell Medicine Breast Health Disparities annual CME Symposium whose goal is to provide breast cancer education to community clinicians within targeted communities. Most recently, Dr. Bea was awarded the prestigious American Medical Association’s National Minority Quality Forums Braintrust, “Top 40 under 40 in Minority Health” for her dedication to community outreach and research. Her clinical and research interests include management of the axilla, inflammatory breast cancer management in underserved populations as well as identifying and eliminating breast cancer diagnosis and treatment disparities.
Dr. Bea is the founder of G.L.O.S.S. (Girls Loving OurSelves Successfully), a program focused on mentoring young women. Understanding the importance of representation and diversity in books, she founded the Chocolate Kid Chronicles, publishing her first children’s book in the series, an Amazon Best Seller, the “Chocolate Kid Chronicles: Please Don’t Touch My Magical Hair.” Dr. Bea is the recipient of a host of awards and accolades for her accomplishments and has been featured on ABC News, CBS News, USA Today, the NY Post, and Essence and Allure Magazines.