Afsaneh Pirzadeh, MD, Associate Professor in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, has had her proposal accepted to implement a standardized care pathway for pediatric patient falling within the defined criteria for acute stroke has been selected for support through the IHQI Improvement Scholars Program for the period October 1, 2024 – September 30, 2025.
Dr. Jenny Boyd has been accepted as a Fellow in the 2024 -2025 Executive Leadership in Health Care (ELH) Program, a track of the Hedwig van Ameringen Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine® (ELAM) program.
Meg Kihlstrom, MD, Associate Professor in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and Director of the Pediatric Residency Training Program has been selected for the Association of Pediatric Program Directors Leadership in Educational Academic Development (APPD LEAD) Program for the upcoming year.
Stephanie Schwartz, MD was promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics effective February 1, 2024. Dr. Schwartz has been a faculty member in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine since 2018. Dr. Schwartz received a BS in Public Health Science from Clemson University in Clemson, SC in 2007 and received her medical degree from the Brody School of Medicine, East Carolina University in Greenville in 2011. She completed her Pediatric residency at UNC Hospitals in 2015. Dr. Schwartz completed her fellowship in Pediatric Critical Care at Duke University Children’s Hospital in June 2018.
Dan Lercher, MD was promoted to Associate Professor of Pediatrics effective February 1, 2024. Dr. Lercher has been a faculty member in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine since 2017. Dr. Lercher received a BS in Genetics, Cell Biology and Development from the University of Minnesota in May 2006 and received his medical degree from the University of Nebraska College of Medicine in June 2013. His Pediatric Residency at UNC Children’s Hospital was completed in 2013. Dr. Lercher served as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Pediatrics Division of Emergency Medicine from September 2013 until June 2014 and subsequently completed a Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship in June 2017.
Two Pediatrics faculty members were recently awarded distinguished professorships by vote of the Board of Trustees for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Appointment to a distinguished professorship is one of the highest faculty honors the University can bestow. Faculty recognized with distinguished professorships have shown distinction and leadership in their field or across disciplines. Distinguished awards allocate funds and an honorary title to the recipients. Congratulations Dr. Joyner and Dr. Savoldo.
Dr. Matthew Pizzuto, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics has been appointed Physician Service Leader of the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) in the North Carolina Children’s Hospital. He has served as interim PCICU service leader since 2021. We look forward to Dr. Pizzuto’s continued leadership in his new role.
We are excited to congratulate Pediatrics department members who were recently included in the 2023-2024 cohort of the AOE FLAGship Program!
We are excited to welcome to the newest group of fellows/subspecialty residents to UNC Children’s! Our fellowship programs are committed to fostering the development of future generations of physicians and scientists who will go on to improve the health of children in North Carolina and across the globe.
The American Pediatric Society (APS) council members have formally elected Benny Joyner, MD, MPH, and Kenya McNeal-Trice, MD, to Active membership with the society. Active member nominations are accepted for individuals who reside in the United States or Canada who have distinguished themselves as child health leaders, teachers, scholars, policymakers, and/or clinicians and whose important contributions are recognized nationally and/or internationally, as determined by the Council, and who have well-established credentials as teachers, scholars, policymakers, and/or clinicians and whose contributions have advanced child health.
