Get to Know Matthew Grant

As a pediatrician and HIV specialist at the University of Maryland, Bloomberg Fellow Matthew Grant has dedicated his career to providing comprehensive care to young people in Maryland. As the medical director for the Adolescent and Young Adult Center in the department of pediatrics, Grant leads a team that offers comprehensive support for young people, focusing on primary care, reproductive and sexual health, HIV care and prevention, and gender affirming care for LGBTQIA+ youth.

Despite the presence of dedicated LGBTQIA+ providers throughout Maryland, many young individuals often face significant barriers in accessing care--an issue that is persistent throughout the country and globally. Grant and his team recognize the unique challenges these young people face in accessing comprehensive healthcare and are working to address them. “Transportation, hours and availability of services, and navigating scheduling are only some of the roadblocks for youth,” Grant says. “When you add in the additional barrier of being LGBTQIA+, the options become even more limited.” 

Having a firsthand view of the plight many LGBTQIA+ youth face, Grant emphasizes the importance of involving clinicians in policy-making processes, particularly those that affect clinical decisions and patient care. As lawmakers throughout the country continue to debate access to gender affirming care for youth and as the rates of depression in young people continue to increase, it is imperative that clinicians are able to provide input to ensure that patient safety is at the forefront of decision-making. Through his Bloomberg Fellowship, Grant hopes to gain the tools necessary to address these hurdles through advocacy, education, and direct intervention. 

Throughout the Bloomberg Fellowship, Grant will continue his work leading the center and witness the remarkable resilience of adolescents. “I am constantly inspired by their ability to learn from their hardships, persevere, and share their experiences to improve the lives of others,” Grant says. “These young people embody resilience, teaching valuable lessons in perseverance and strength.”