HOUSTON, November 14, 2022 – The American Pediatric Society (APS) is pleased to announce Nadine Burke Harris, MD, as the recipient of the 2023 David G. Nichols Health Equity Award.
Credit: American Pediatric Society
HOUSTON, November 14, 2022 – The American Pediatric Society (APS) is pleased to announce Nadine Burke Harris, MD, as the recipient of the 2023 David G. Nichols Health Equity Award.
The David G. Nichols Health Equity Award, administered by the APS and endowed by the American Board of Pediatrics (APB) Foundation, was created to recognize demonstrated excellence in advancing child and adolescent health, well-being, and equity through quality improvement, advocacy, practice, or research. This award recognizes Dr. Burke Harris’ outstanding contributions to advancing child and adolescent health, well-being, and equity and the far-reaching impact of her work. The award will be presented to Dr. Burke Harris during the APS Presidential Plenary at the Pediatric Academic Societies (PAS) 2023 Meeting in Washington, DC, April 27 – May 1.
Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, California’s first-ever Surgeon General, is an award-winning physician, researcher, and public health leader who has spent her career on the front lines of some of our nation’s most pressing public health challenges. Her career has been dedicated to serving vulnerable communities and combating the root causes of health disparities. After completing her medical degrees and residency, she founded a clinic in one of San Francisco’s most underserved communities, Bayview Hunters Point. It was there that Dr. Burke Harris identified Adverse Childhood Experiences as a major risk factor affecting the health of her patients and applied research from the CDC and Kaiser Permanente to develop a novel clinical screening protocol. Amid the throes of the COVID pandemic, Dr. Burke Harris successfully launched a first-in-the-nation statewide effort to train over 20,000 primary care providers on how to screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and respond with trauma-informed care.
“Dr. Burke Harris is a pediatric leader who has championed children, raising awareness of social drivers of health and adverse childhood events,” said Dr. Judy Schaechter, MD, MBA, President and CEO of the American Board of Pediatrics. “Her work to improve child health by advancing equity is aligned with Dr. Nichols’ drive to eliminate health disparities.”
Prior to Dr. Burke Harris’ being selected as California’s Surgeon General, she founded not only the Bayview Child Health center but also the Center for Youth Wellness to advance pediatric medicine, raise public awareness, and transform the way society responds to children exposed to ACEs and toxic stress. Dr. Burke Harris completed her bachelor’s degree from University of California, Berkeley and received her medical degree from University of California, Davis School of Medicine, followed by a Master of Public Health degree from Harvard. Her pediatric internship and residency were at Lucile Salter Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford.
“We are delighted to honor Dr. Burke Harris with the 2023 David G. Nichols Health Equity Award. Like Dr. Nichols, Dr. Burke Harris has dedicated her career to eliminating disparities in care and improving the wellbeing of children by addressing structural and systemic inequity,” said APS President Lisa Robinson, MD. “Dr. Burke Harris has led by example, directly in her care of children from underserved communities, and through advocacy and policy change that has impacted the care of thousands of children. She is an extraordinary role model whose sustained contributions demonstrate the power of advocacy in action.”
For more information about Dr. Burke Harris and the APS David G. Nichols Health Equity Award, please visit the APS website.
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About the American Pediatric Society
The American Pediatric Society (APS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1888 as the first pediatric society in North America. The mission of the APS is to shape the future of academic pediatrics through engagement of distinguished child-health leaders to represent the full diversity within the field. The 1,800 plus members of APS are recognized leaders of extraordinary achievement who work together to shape the future of academic pediatrics. For more information, please visit aps1888.org, and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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