Rachel Epstein, MD, MScE
Assistant Professor, Medicine
Biography
Rachel L. Epstein, MD, MScE, is a clinician-scientist working to utilize large data sets and decision modelling to inform policy and program design to improve care for individuals with Hepatitis C, HIV, and substance use, with a particular focus on pregnant women and youth.
Dr. Epstein completed combined residency training in internal medicine-pediatrics at Brown University, and worked in primary care through the Providence Community Health Centers and the Hasbro Adolescent Center before fellowship. She completed a combined adult and pediatric infectious diseases fellowship at Boston Medical Center and a T32 post-doctoral research fellowship through the Boston University Clinical HIV/AIDS Research Training Program (BU-CHART). She is an Assistant Professor in the BUSM Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, and Department of Pediatrics, Section of Infectious Diseases and sees adult and pediatric patients living with or at risk for Hepatitis C virus, HIV, and other infectious diseases. She also serves as the Med-Peds faculty specific advisor lead for BUSM students.
Dr. Epstein’s current and recent work includes projects analyzing the effects of Medicaid HCV treatment restrictions on care cascade outcome achievement, HIV prevention and medication adherence, and comparing the cost-effectiveness of HCV and OUD screening, evaluation, and treatment interventions in women of reproductive age, children, and the general population. She currently or previously works/worked with data through OCHIN, TriNetX, the BMC Datawarehouse and COVID-19 Repository, Marketscan, and the Massachusetts Public Health Datawarehouse.
Other Positions
- Assistant Professor, Pediatrics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Education
- Thomas Jefferson University, MD
- Boston University School of Public Health, MSc
- Wesleyan University, MA
- Wesleyan University, BA
Classes Taught
Publications
- Published on 2/24/2025
Epstein RL, Munroe S, Taylor LE, Duryea PR, Buzzee B, Pramanick T, Feld JJ, Baptiste D, Carroll M, Castera L, Sterling RK, Thomas A, Chan PA, Linas BP. Clinical- and Cost-Effectiveness of Liver Disease Staging in Hepatitis C Virus Infection: A Microsimulation Study. Clin Infect Dis. 2025 Feb 24; 80(2):300-313. PMID: 39535186.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/24/2025
Singh RP, Biondi B, Gordon SH, Linas BP, Epstein RL. Hepatitis C Virus Screening in Pregnant and Nonpregnant Women After Universal Screening Guidelines. JAMA. 2025 Feb 24. PMID: 39992633.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/19/2025
Chalouni M, Van Santen DK, Berenguer J, Jarrin I, Miro JM, Klein MB, Young J, Torgersen J, Rentsch CT, Gill MJ, Epstein RL, Linas B, Zangerle R, Surial B, Rauch A, Touloumi G, Papadopoulos A, Wittkop L, Van Der Valk M, Boyd A, Monforte AD, Puoti M, Logan RW, Rein SM, Hernán MA, Lodi S. Time to direct-acting antivirals initiation and liver-related events in people with HIV and Hepatitis C virus. AIDS. 2025 Feb 19. PMID: 39970192.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/17/2024
Biondi BE, Munroe S, Lavarin C, Curtis MR, Buzzee B, Lodi S, Epstein RL. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Hepatitis C Care in Reproductive-Aged Women With Opioid Use Disorder. Clin Infect Dis. 2024 Dec 17; 79(6):1428-1436. PMID: 39356149.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 12/1/2024
Epstein RL, Jhaveri R. A Call to Pediatricians: How Can We Improve HCV Testing in Perinatally Exposed Infants? Pediatrics. 2024 Dec 01; 154(6). PMID: 39544012.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/21/2024
Epstein RL, Kurnellas A, Munroe S, Curtis MR, Biondi B, Wachman EM. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Testing of Hepatitis C Virus-Exposed Children Across the United States. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2024 Nov 21; 13(Supplement_5):S159-S165. PMID: 39171788.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 11/21/2024
Jhaveri R, Epstein R, Thompson P. Viral Hepatitis Elimination in Infants, Children, and Pregnancy: Elimination for Everyone by Everyone. J Pediatric Infect Dis Soc. 2024 Nov 21; 13(Supplement_5):S137-S138. PMID: 39570896.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/1/2024
Curtis MR, Epstein RL, Pei P, Linas BP, Ciaranello AL. Cost-Effectiveness of Strategies for Treatment Timing for Perinatally Acquired Hepatitis C Virus. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 May 01; 178(5):489-496. PMID: 38466273.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 2/7/2024
Epstein RL, Buzzee B, White LF, Feld JJ, Castera L, Sterling RK, Linas BP, Taylor LE. Test characteristics for combining non-invasive liver fibrosis staging modalities in individuals with Hepatitis C virus. J Viral Hepat. 2024 Jun; 31(6):277-292. PMID: 38326950.
Read at: PubMed - Published on 5/16/2023
Epstein R, Fuerstman L, Heidlebaugh A, Schiller J, Zayhowski K. Experiences of genetic counseling students with disabilities and chronic illnesses: A qualitative study. J Genet Couns. 2023 Dec; 32(6):1161-1173. PMID: 37194122.
Read at: PubMed
View 19 more publications: View full profile at BUMC