Dr. Arya is an infectious diseases specialist and a health communications investigator focused on the racial and ethnic disparities in the U.S. HIV epidemic. Dr. Arya grew up in the Washington, D.C. area and completed her medical and public health training at George Washington University and Georgetown University medical centers. She completed her HIV and infectious diseases training at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School in Boston, MA.

Dr. Arya is a leading advocate for increasing HIV Testing in the communities hardest hit by the HIV epidemic in the U.S. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that nearly all adolescents and adults be tested for HIV. HIV testing saves lives by identifying persons in need of life-saving HIV treatment. Furthermore, when persons find out they are HIV-infected, they change their risk behaviors to limit the spread of HIV to others in their community.

Dr. Arya’s research focus is on how the media may be used to improve HIV testing in the primary care setting. Her research team studies barriers and facilitators to HIV testing—from both the patient and physician perspective. Her goal is to develop media campaigns to increase HIV test offering by physicians and HIV test acceptance by patients. Her current NIH-funded research program is being conducted in Houston, TX in the Harris Health System, the nation’s fifth largest publically funded health system.

Dr. Arya has presented to physicians and public health practitioners locally, regionally, and nationally on the topic of HIV testing in the primary care setting. She serves as the Lead Physician for HIV Testing in the Harris Health System and she serves on the Scientific Advisory Council for the Houston Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of HIV/STD and Viral Hepatitis Prevention. She is passionate about the benefits of HIV testing for patients and public health. Her efforts to educate others have been recognized by her receipt of teaching awards from Georgetown University Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine.