Jeffrey Paul Baker
Professor of Pediatrics
I am a practicing pediatrician and a medical historian. My early research focused on the early history of premature infant care and neonatal medicine. Featured in my book, The Machine in the Nursery: Incubator Technology and the Origins of Neonatal Intensive Care, I examined how the controversy around the introduction of baby incubators at the dawn of the 20th century became a flash point for broader anxieties around medical technology, eugenics, and the role of physicians versus mothers in the care of young infants.
My later research moved to this history of vaccines, and why this highly-regarded public health intervention ignited fierce public resistance in the late 20th century. The alleged links between vaccines and autism were an important part of this story which led me to work on other aspect of the history of autism as well. I have spoken and written in particular about the role of Leo Kanner in shaping both the definition of autism and the construction of an associated stereotype of parents as brilliant but cold and aloof.
In recent years I have been focusing on history, race, and health disparities. I have been working on a project exploring this question in Duke's home community of Durham, North Carolina. The first phase of this work looked at four case studies over the course of the past century: tuberculosis in the early 1900s, childbirth during desegregation, HIV, and diabetes since 2000. More recent work explores why understanding and acknowledging local history is essential to building trust between academic health centers and their communities.
My later research moved to this history of vaccines, and why this highly-regarded public health intervention ignited fierce public resistance in the late 20th century. The alleged links between vaccines and autism were an important part of this story which led me to work on other aspect of the history of autism as well. I have spoken and written in particular about the role of Leo Kanner in shaping both the definition of autism and the construction of an associated stereotype of parents as brilliant but cold and aloof.
In recent years I have been focusing on history, race, and health disparities. I have been working on a project exploring this question in Duke's home community of Durham, North Carolina. The first phase of this work looked at four case studies over the course of the past century: tuberculosis in the early 1900s, childbirth during desegregation, HIV, and diabetes since 2000. More recent work explores why understanding and acknowledging local history is essential to building trust between academic health centers and their communities.
Current Research Interests
History of Medicine: Health Disparities, Child Health, Vaccines, Neonatology
Current Appointments & Affiliations
- Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics 2021
- Professor of the Practice in History, History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2019
- Associate of the Duke Initiative for Science & Society, Duke Science & Society, Initiatives 2017
Contact Information
- 234 Crooked Creek Parkway, Durham, NC 27713
- Box 3675 Med Ctr, Durham, NC 27710
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jeffrey.baker@duke.edu
(919) 620-5374
- Background
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Education, Training, & Certifications
- Ph.D., Duke University 1993
- M.D., Duke University 1984
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Medical Licensure
- 38892. North Carolina. 2020
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Previous Appointments & Affiliations
- Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics 2009 - 2020
- Research Professor in the Department of History, History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2016 - 2019
- Professor of History, History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2009 - 2010
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics 2006 - 2009
- Assistant Professor of History, History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2008
- Assistant Clinical Professor in History, History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 2003 - 2007
- Associate Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics 2004 - 2006
- Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics 1996 - 2004
- Associate in the Department of Pediatrics, Pediatrics, General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Pediatrics 1991 - 1996
- Lecturer in the Department of History, History, Trinity College of Arts & Sciences 1994 - 1995
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Leadership & Clinical Positions at Duke
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Director, Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, and History of Medicine (2016-Present)
Director, History of Medicine Program, Duke University School of Medicine (2005-Present)
Director, Duke Children's Autism Clinic (2010-12)
Medical Director, Duke Health Center at Southpoint (1999-2003)
Director, AB Duke Scholarship Program (2005-7)
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Director, Trent Center for Bioethics, Humanities, and History of Medicine (2016-Present)
- Recognition
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In the News
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OCT 1, 2020 Duke Research Blog -
NOV 24, 2019 -
FEB 10, 2015 The Philadelphia Inquirer -
FEB 10, 2015 The Philadelphia Inquirer
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Awards & Honors
- Expertise
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Subject Headings
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Global Scholarship
- Research
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Selected Grants
- Humanities in Medicine Capstone Course for 4th Year Medical Students awarded by Mary Duke Biddle Foundation 2005 - 2015
- The Transformation of Autism, 1950-1975 awarded by Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation 2010 - 2015
- Chilhood Vaccine Policy in the US Since 1955 awarded by National Institutes of Health 2003 - 2007
- History Of The Premature Infant Nursery In The U.S. awarded by National Institutes of Health 1993 - 1995
- History Of Premature Infant Nursery In The Us awarded by National Institutes of Health 1992 - 1994
- A History Of The Premature Infant Nursery In The Us awarded by National Institutes of Health 1991 - 1994
- The Origins Of The Premature Infant Nursery In The Usa awarded by Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation 1992 - 1994
- Origins Of Neonatal Intensive Care Units awarded by Josiah Charles Trent Memorial Foundation 1990 - 1991
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External Relationships
- Apple Inc.
- Publications & Artistic Works
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Selected Publications
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Academic Articles
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “When Women and Children Made the Policy Agenda - The Sheppard-Towner Act, 100 Years Later.” N Engl J Med 385, no. 20 (November 11, 2021): 1827–29. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp2031669.Full Text Open Access Copy Link to Item
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Perochon, Sam, Matias Di Martino, Rachel Aiello, Jeffrey Baker, Kimberly Carpenter, Zhuoqing Chang, Scott Compton, et al. “A scalable computational approach to assessing response to name in toddlers with autism.” J Child Psychol Psychiatry 62, no. 9 (September 2021): 1120–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcpp.13381.Full Text Link to Item
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Chang, Zhuoqing, J Matias Di Martino, Rachel Aiello, Jeffrey Baker, Kimberly Carpenter, Scott Compton, Naomi Davis, et al. “Computational Methods to Measure Patterns of Gaze in Toddlers With Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Jama Pediatr 175, no. 8 (August 1, 2021): 827–36. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.0530.Full Text Link to Item
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Carpenter, Kimberly L. H., Jordan Hahemi, Kathleen Campbell, Steven J. Lippmann, Jeffrey P. Baker, Helen L. Egger, Steven Espinosa, Saritha Vermeer, Guillermo Sapiro, and Geraldine Dawson. “Digital Behavioral Phenotyping Detects Atypical Pattern of Facial Expression in Toddlers with Autism.” Autism Res 14, no. 3 (March 2021): 488–99. https://doi.org/10.1002/aur.2391.Full Text Link to Item
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Hashemi, Jordan, Geraldine Dawson, Kimberly L. H. Carpenter, Kathleen Campbell, Qiang Qiu, Steven Espinosa, Samuel Marsan, Jeffrey P. Baker, Helen L. Egger, and Guillermo Sapiro. “Computer Vision Analysis for Quantification of Autism Risk Behaviors.” Ieee Trans Affect Comput 12, no. 1 (2021): 215–26. https://doi.org/10.1109/taffc.2018.2868196.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey, and Ravi Jhaveri. “Conversations With the Editors: Promoting Science and Combating Anti-science: The Past and Present of the Antivaccine Movement.” Clin Ther 42, no. 12 (December 2020): 2248–52. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinthera.2020.11.005.Full Text Link to Item
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Major, Samantha, Kathleen Campbell, Steven Espinosa, Jeffrey P. Baker, Kimberly Lh Carpenter, Guillermo Sapiro, Saritha Vermeer, and Geraldine Dawson. “Impact of a digital Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers-Revised on likelihood and age of autism diagnosis and referral for developmental evaluation.” Autism 24, no. 7 (October 2020): 1629–38. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361320916656.Full Text Link to Item
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Dawson, Geraldine, Kathleen Campbell, Jordan Hashemi, Steven J. Lippmann, Valerie Smith, Kimberly Carpenter, Helen Egger, et al. “Author Correction: Atypical postural control can be detected via computer vision analysis in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder.” Sci Rep 10, no. 1 (January 14, 2020): 616. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-57570-1.Full Text Link to Item
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Campbell, Kathleen, Kimberly Lh Carpenter, Jordan Hashemi, Steven Espinosa, Samuel Marsan, Jana Schaich Borg, Zhuoqing Chang, et al. “Computer vision analysis captures atypical attention in toddlers with autism.” Autism 23, no. 3 (April 2019): 619–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361318766247.Full Text Link to Item
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Sterwald, Christopher, and Jeffrey Baker. “Frosted Intellectuals: How Dr. Leo Kanner Constructed the Autistic Family.” Perspectives in Biology and Medicine 62, no. 4 (January 2019): 690–709. https://doi.org/10.1353/pbm.2019.0040.Full Text
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Dawson, Geraldine, Kathleen Campbell, Jordan Hashemi, Steven J. Lippmann, Valerie Smith, Kimberly Carpenter, Helen Egger, et al. “Atypical postural control can be detected via computer vision analysis in toddlers with autism spectrum disorder.” Sci Rep 8, no. 1 (November 19, 2018): 17008. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-35215-8.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “History Lesson: Vaccine Trials in the Classroom.” Am J Public Health 108, no. 8 (August 2018): 976–77. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2018.304538.Full Text Link to Item
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Egger, Helen L., Geraldine Dawson, Jordan Hashemi, Kimberly L. H. Carpenter, Steven Espinosa, Kathleen Campbell, Samuel Brotkin, et al. “Automatic emotion and attention analysis of young children at home: a ResearchKit autism feasibility study.” Npj Digit Med 1 (2018): 20. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-018-0024-6.Full Text Open Access Copy Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P., and Birgit Lang. “Eugenics and the Origins of Autism.” Pediatrics 140, no. 2 (August 2017). https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2017-1419.Full Text Link to Item
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Campbell, Kathleen, Kimberly L. H. Carpenter, Steven Espinosa, Jordan Hashemi, Qiang Qiu, Mariano Tepper, Robert Calderbank, et al. “Use of a Digital Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers - Revised with Follow-up to Improve Quality of Screening for Autism.” J Pediatr 183 (April 2017): 133-139.e1. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2017.01.021.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Vaccine Nation: America's Changing Relationship With Immunization.” Nursing History Review 25 (January 1, 2017): 158–60.Link to Item
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Hashemi, J., K. Campbell, K. Carpenter, A. Harris, Q. Qiu, M. Tepper, S. Espinosa, et al. “A scalable app for measuring autism risk behaviors in young children: A technical validity and feasibility study.” Proceedings of the 5th Eai International Conference on Wireless Mobile Communication and Healthcare, 2015, 23–27.Link to Item
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Bowman, Rachel A., Jeffrey P. Baker, and Jeffrey P. Duke University School of Medicine. “Screams, slaps, and love: the strange birth of applied behavior analysis.” Pediatrics 133, no. 3 (March 2014): 364–66. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-2583.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Autism at 70--redrawing the boundaries.” N Engl J Med 369, no. 12 (September 19, 2013): 1089–91. https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMp1306380.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, J. P. “Keith Wailoo, Julie Livingstone, Steven Epstein and Robert Aronowitz (eds), Three Shots at Prevention: The HPV Vaccine and the Politics of Medicine's Simple Solutions.” Social History of Medicine 25, no. 2 (May 1, 2012): 560–62. https://doi.org/10.1093/shm/hkr177.Full Text
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “The first measles vaccine.” Pediatrics 128, no. 3 (September 2011): 435–37. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2011-1430.Full Text
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Classics in pediatrics. The smallest preterm infants: reasons for optimism and new dilemmas.” Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 165, no. 8 (August 2011): 689–91. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpediatrics.2011.116.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Autism in 1959: Joey the mechanical boy.” Pediatrics 125, no. 6 (June 2010): 1101–3. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2010-0846.Full Text
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Introducing historical perspectives.” Pediatrics 125, no. 3 (March 2010): 596. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2009-3288.Full Text
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Baker, J. P. “Baker responds.” American Journal of Public Health 98, no. 8 (August 1, 2008): 1350–51. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2008.140376.Full Text
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Mercury, vaccines, and autism: one controversy, three histories.” Am J Public Health 98, no. 2 (February 2008): 244–53. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2007.113159.Full Text Link to Item
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Robertson, Alex F., and Jeffrey P. Baker. “Lessons from the past.” Seminars in Fetal & Neonatal Medicine 10, no. 1 (February 2005): 23–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.siny.2004.09.006.Full Text
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Baker, Jeffrey P., and Samuel L. Katz. “Childhood vaccine development: an overview.” Pediatr Res 55, no. 2 (February 2004): 347–56. https://doi.org/10.1203/01.PDR.0000106317.36875.6A.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “The pertussis vaccine controversy in Great Britain, 1974-1986.” Vaccine 21, no. 25–26 (September 8, 2003): 4003–10. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0264-410x(03)00302-5.Full Text Link to Item
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Pearson, H. A., D. Anunziato, J. P. Baker, L. M. Gartner, D. A. Howell, J. E. Strain, S. Bolda Marshall, and S. Historical Archives Advisory Committee. “Committee report: American Pediatrics: milestones at the millennium.” Pediatrics 107, no. 6 (June 2001): 1482–91. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.107.6.1482.Full Text
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Baker, J. P. “Immunization and the American way: 4 childhood vaccines.” American Journal of Public Health 90, no. 2 (February 2000): 199–207. https://doi.org/10.2105/ajph.90.2.199.Full Text
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Baker, J. P. “The incubator and the medical discovery of the premature infant.” J Perinatol 20, no. 5 (2000): 321–28. https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7200377.Full Text Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “A Doctor of Their Own: The History of Adolescent Medicine (review).” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 74, no. 2 (2000): 409–10. https://doi.org/10.1353/bhm.2000.0051.Full Text
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Baker, J. P. “The birth of bioethics.” Pediatrics 104, no. 1 Pt 1 (July 1999): 107. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.104.1.107.Full Text
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Newborn Medicine and Society: European Background and American Practice (1750-1975) (review).” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 73, no. 4 (1999): 743–44. https://doi.org/10.1353/bhm.1999.0145.Full Text
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Baker, J. P. “Reinventing a Specialty: How Pediatrics Survived Its Own Success.” Pediatrics 102, no. 1 II SUPPL. (July 1, 1998): 197–200.
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Baker, J. P. “Reinventing a specialty: how Pediatrics survived its own success.” Pediatrics 102, no. 1 Pt 2 (July 1998): 197–200.
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Baker, J. P. “Reinventing a specialty: How Pediatrics survived its own success.” Pediatrics 102, no. 1 (July 1, 1998): 197–200.Link to Item
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Baker, Jeffrey P. “Book Review: Small and Special: The Development of Hospitals for Children in Victorian Britain.” Bulletin of the History of Medicine 72, no. 2 (1998): 336–38. https://doi.org/10.1353/bhm.1998.0084.Full Text
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“Martin Couney's story revisited. The AAP Perinatal Section Ad Hoc Committee on Perinatal History.” Pediatrics 100, no. 1 (July 1997): 159–60.Link to Item
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BAKER, J. P. “WOMEN AND THE INVENTION OF WELL CHILD-CARE.” Pediatrics 94, no. 4 (October 1, 1994): 527–31.Link to Item
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Baker, J. P. “Women and the invention of well child care.” Pediatrics 94, no. 4 Pt 1 (October 1994): 527–31.Link to Item
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Baker, J. P. “The incubator controversy: pediatricians and the origins of premature infant technology in the United States, 1890 to 1910.” Pediatrics 87, no. 5 (May 1991): 654–62.
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Baker, J. P. “The incubator controversy: Pediatricians and the origins of premature infant technology in the United States, 1890 to 1910.” Pediatrics 87, no. 5 I (January 1, 1991): 654–62.
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Mauro, R. D., J. Baker, and V. Mackedonski. “A five-year-old girl with acute renal failure and multiple cerebral infractions.” The Journal of Pediatrics 115, no. 5 Pt 1 (November 1989): 816–23. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0022-3476(89)80669-9.Full Text
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Mokrohisky, S. T., M. S. Burchell, T. Hand, and J. P. Baker. “Toy balloons and eye injuries.” Pediatrics 81, no. 3 (March 1988): 473.
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- Teaching & Mentoring
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Recent Courses
- MEDHUM 301B: Research in MEDHUM 2023
- MEDICINE 447C: Practitioners and Patients: The History of Clinical Medicine 2023
- MEDHUM 301B: Research in MEDHUM 2022
- MEDICINE 447C: Practitioners and Patients: The History of Clinical Medicine 2022
- MEDHUM 301B: Research in MEDHUM 2021
- MEDICINE 447C: Practitioners and Patients: The History of Clinical Medicine 2021
- MEDICINE 452C: Clinical Medical Ethics: What Would a Good Physician Do? 2021
- Scholarly, Clinical, & Service Activities
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Outreach & Engaged Scholarship
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