Dr. Dallas Bauman says his own personal journey inspired his passion for providing quality, compassionate care for all. “Out of fear of rejection, I did not come out as gay until I was 22,” he shared, “and even after coming out, I still found it very difficult to communicate my concerns or questions to my doctor.”
Recognizing that the stigma he felt while navigating the healthcare system was all too common, Bauman resolved to make a difference. After earning his undergraduate degree, he moved to beautiful Miami and embarked on a new, life-changing phase of his career as a student in Barry University’s Physician Assistant Program. “Because of my personal experiences, I wanted to change the climate and attitudes associated with LGBTQ health issues,” he says. “The reason I chose Barry University was not only because of their one of a kind clinical education but because it is an institute that embraces values of inclusion, equality, and acceptance. Having these core values woven into an educational curriculum is essential and Barry University is a perfect example of this.”
Since graduating in 2014, Bauman has been a staunch advocate for LGBTQ+ healthcare. A general practitioner and certified HIV/PrEP specialist with AIDS Healthcare Foundation in Coral Gables, he serves LGBTQ+ and HIV-positive patients, as well as those interested in Pre- and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis. “I absolutely love my job and have the best patients in the world,” he says. “I try to keep an open discussion about everything and am very sex positive in my practice. I want my patients to feel like they are talking with a friend rather than a medical provider, as this is something I did not have growing up as a gay man.”
When Bauman is not working with AIDS Healthcare Foundation, he lends his expertise to local advocacy groups as well as Barry University, where he is an adjunct professor in the Physician Assistant program. Last year, he completed his Doctor of Clinical Medical Science at Lincoln Memorial University DeBusk College of Osteopathic Medicine.
We asked Dr. Bauman to share more about his experience fighting to improve healthcare among marginalized communities.
What do you see as the greatest healthcare challenges facing HIV and AIDS patients, and how should medical professionals be working to eliminate those challenges?
This is such a tough question to answer, as we have a lot of challenges still to overcome, and unfortunately most of these challenges adversely affect people of color.
First, the stigma around HIV/AIDS is still an issue. If this stigma is not addressed and we do not bring HIV/AIDS out into the public spotlight, it will be difficult to put an end to the HIV epidemic facing our country. Everyone can help with this! Talk about HIV with friends, with family, with co-workers. Talk about screening locations and opportunities in the community.
Second, access to affordable healthcare is a huge issue affecting HIV/AIDS patients. Many people cannot afford healthcare and thus they never seek medical advice. This includes HIV screening and treatment. Since the discovery of U=U (Undetectable = Untransmittable), it is even more important to screen and treat individuals. We know that by helping an HIV individual reach undetectable viremia, they cannot transmit HIV — thus, making treatment the best form of prevention!
I believe it is imperative to get general family practitioners across the country trained and educated on sexual health, HIV, and LGBTQ issues, so that there can be a more casual conversation about these issues. The more we have the conversations, the more normal they become; and the more sex positive the practitioner, the easier it will be for the patient to discuss certain issues.
How has it felt to return to your alma mater and teach new generations of Barry’s Physician Assistant (PA) students?
I started as an adjunct professor for Barry's PA program around January of 2018. I loved attending Barry University as a student! I made great friends and laid the groundwork that helped me develop into the medical practitioner I am today. PA school, while absolutely exhausting, was a time of excitement and learning that had a buzzing energy around it. After graduating, a part of me always wanted to be involved in that energy and working as an adjunct faculty member was a perfect way to stay involved.
As an educator, what do you want your students to understand about the role they can play in improving healthcare experiences for LGBTQ+ populations?
I want my students to understand that they are going to encounter many people throughout their medical career. Many of those people will be very different from them. It is important to realize that and accept that you will not be able to understand what all your patients are going through. However, what is important is that you have a desire to understand.
I want my students to feel confident when obtaining a patient history, to never feel embarrassed when discussing certain topics with a patient, from gender identity to sexual orientation to sexual habits to preferred pronouns. I want my students to be sex-positive practitioners.
Personally, how do you see yourself growing or expanding your advocacy for HIV and AIDS patients as you advance in your field?
Currently, I work on advisory boards for GSK/ViiV Healthcare and am on the professional speaker’s bureau for Gilead Sciences for their HIV treatment division. I serve as a member of the medical care sub-committee for the Miami-Dade HIV/AIDS Partnership. At Aids Healthcare Foundation, I participate as a clinical investigator in several research studies regarding new HIV treatments as well as STI testing and treatments.
My hopes are to continue to find opportunities and ways in which I can advocate for all people living with HIV and hopefully start to bridge some of the existing gaps that are present, especially with people of color.
In your daily work as a PA with Aids Healthcare Foundation, what brings you the most joy and fulfillment?
Many patients who come to see me with a new HIV diagnosis are terrified that they are going to die. They are usually in tears and do not understand what HIV is or even what it means to be HIV positive. There are many aspects of my work as an HIV specialist that bring me joy, but what brings me the most joy and fulfillment is helping a newly diagnosed HIV patient understand and accept their HIV diagnosis and celebrating with them when they become undetectable! To help someone along this journey is a huge responsibility but a very rewarding one.