Why Religion Matters in Medicine: Spirituality as a Social Determinant of Health
Monday, November 16, 2026
4:30 pm
Barfield Drawing Room
Panelists will share insights from the perspectives of their own faith traditions, discussing how spiritual beliefs, religious practices, and faith communities can shape health experiences, influence approaches to care, and provide support during times of illness.
About the speakers
Shaykha Dr. Rania Awaad
Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, Stanford University School of Medicine
Director, Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab
Co-Founder & President, Maristan
Dr. Rania Awaad M.D., is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Stanford University School of Medicine where she is the Director of the Stanford Muslim Mental Health & Islamic Psychology Lab as well as Stanford University's Affiliate Chaplain and Affiliate Professor of Islamic Studies. In the community, she serves as the President and Co-Founder of Maristan, a holistic mental health nonprofit serving Muslim communities. She is also a co-founder and the previous director of The Rahmah Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating Muslim women and girls. Prior to studying medicine, she pursued classical Islamic studies in Damascus, Syria, and holds certifications (ijaza) in the Qur’an- including in the 10 Qira'at, Islamic Law, and other branches of the Islamic Sciences. Follow her @Dr.RaniaAwaad
Dr. Ben Doolittle
Professor of Medicine (General Medicine), Pediatrics and Divinity; Director, Int Med-Pediatrics Residency Program
Ben Doolittle is the Program Director of the Combined Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program. He is also the Medical Director of the Faculty-Resident Continuity Clinic. His practice focuses on addiction, Hepatitis C, HIV, and primary care. His research interests explore the intersection of medicine and spirituality, wellness and burnout. Ben is also an ordained minister, holding a MDIV from Yale Divinity School, and serves a local urban congregation.
Dr. Jeff Levin
University Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, Professor of Medical Humanities, Director of Program on Religion and Population Health (PRPH)
Dr. Jeff Levin, an epidemiologist by training, holds a distinguished chair at Baylor University, where he is University Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health, Professor of Medical Humanities, and Director of the Program on Religion and Population Health at the Institute for Studies of Religion. He also serves as an Affiliated Member of the Center for Medical Ethics and Health Policy at Baylor College of Medicine.