Dr. Denise Dowd to be Honored with Michael Shannon Humanitarian Award

The award recognizes a pediatric emergency medicine physician who best demonstrates excellence in clinical care, mentoring, teaching and, most importantly, advocacy for children.

Denise Dowd, MD, MPH, PEM, will be honored this fall with the prestigious Michael Shannon Humanitarian Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Emergency Medicine.

In their nomination of Dr. Dowd, Drs. Greg Conners and Lisa Schroeder noted that she has "worked tirelessly on projects focusing on inequalities in health care, demonstrating needs for our patients, and opportunities for us to do better in improving the lives of children … The recent shooting tragedy in New Town, Conn., for example, led Dr. Dowd to organize a ‘kids and guns do not mix' educational campaign for parents through local schools."

Her peers also recognize Dr. Dowd's leadership. "In the emergency department, she sets the tone for all to follow: passion for each child and family, humor to take the edge off the day's events, and collaboration among providers without regard for training level or background," said Drs. Melissa Miller and Joan Giovanni. "Her long-lived passion to reduce childhood gun injuries and deaths culminated in her recent contribution as a lead author for the policy statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics."

A member of the Pediatrics editorial board, Dr. Dowd also serves on the advisory board of Operation Breakthrough, a local organization that provides services to more than 700 at-risk children and families.

Dr. Dowd's "sees the opportunity to identify and help children who are exposed to intimate partner violence and prevent the risk of comorbid physical and/or sexual abuse to the children themselves," said Dr. Jane Knapp, Chair of Graduate Medical Education. "Her special humanistic qualities, communications skills and personality allow her to readily make the connections needed to bridge the emergency department with the community."