Jennifer Najjar, MD, had plans to be a teacher after college. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English and earned her teaching certification.
But on a trip to visit relatives in the Middle East more than 50 years ago, she became enthralled with medicine. She shadowed her cousin who was a pediatric cardiologist. She decided then to go back to school.
“I got hooked,” said Najjar, associate professor of Pediatrics in the Ian M. Burr Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes. “I made the decision to go back into medicine, but I had to go back to school because I had no pre-med prerequisites. I was basically starting over.”
She never looked back. After 47 years as a pediatric endocrinologist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, she is reflecting on her life of work, highlighting moments of pride and gratitude for her patients and colleagues, and relishing in her ability to practice medicine while also training the next generation of pediatric doctors. Najjar retired June 28.
“I truly feel so lucky,” Najjar said. “I ended up being a teacher anyway because I taught the residents and taught the fellows…I always thought, ‘this is the life — seeing patients and teaching medical students.’ It’s been very rewarding.”
Najjar has witnessed the evolution of Vanderbilt and the field of endocrinology over the past five decades. After graduating from Tufts Medical School in Boston, she came to Vanderbilt as a resident in 1977. She has seen the growth of pediatric care at Vanderbilt, with the round wing of Medical Center North serving as the initial home for pediatric inpatient care. That care then moved to three floors in Vanderbilt University Hospital, and finally, expanded to the current Monroe Carell building, a comprehensive freestanding children’s hospital with a network of pediatric care across Tennessee.
When Najjar began practicing, the Division of Endocrinology followed a few hundred patients. Today, the division follows more than 4,100 patients annually. Pediatric endocrinology has also seen significant improvement in treating children with diabetes, including the use of continuous glucose monitors and insulin delivery systems that are vastly different from the finger prick and urine glucose monitoring of the past, she says.
She has left an indelible mark and legacy, notes William E. Russell, MD, director of the Ian M. Burr Division of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes and professor of Cell and Developmental Biology.
“Jennifer will retire, but the forces she has unleashed at Vanderbilt will continue long into the future,” said Russell, Cornelius Vanderbilt Professor of Pediatrics. “Jennifer has been one of the kindest and most devoted physicians I have ever known. She was tenacious about being available to her patients 24/7. Generations of learners have become pediatricians and endocrinologists because of Jennifer, and multiple generations of patients from the same families were her patients.”
That devotion to her patients spread beyond the walls of the clinic and hospital. In 1982, Najjar founded Camp Sugar Falls, quickly earning the title of “Dr. Jennifer, Chief Sugar.” She created a safe place for patients with diabetes, starting the camp to reach out to children who were just being diagnosed and dealing with the challenges associated with managing diabetes. When the camp began, there were eight children at Shelby Park. Today, there are nearly 100 campers.
The camp uses games and play activities to teach the children about diabetes. Najjar has no plans of stopping her involvement with the camp in retirement.
“I’m still going to be a part of it. I’ll let somebody else take the helm, to help with the organization of it and make sure that all the things are in place. But it’s a lot of fun,” she said.
In addition to missing her patients, Najjar says she is thankful for and fortunate to have been part of such a supportive and collaborative team.
Najjar’s retirement marks the end of an era, of sorts, in the division. Retiring simultaneously are two of the division’s nurse practitioners — Barbara Duffy, MSN, APRN, CPNP, and Margaret Anderson, DNP, FNP-BC — both of whom have worked alongside her for years. Between Najjar, Duffy and Anderson, they have a combined 86 years of experience in endocrinology. The trio were celebrated during a gathering on June 24.
“Barb and I have known each other the longest — 30-plus years. She and I were on call a lot together, and we learned from each other, I learned a lot about what nurses had to do to help our patients succeed in getting better. I got to know her as a person,” Najjar said. “It’s been a mutual learning experience. It’s not been a one-way thing. And that’s the same case with Margaret Anderson. I learned a lot of techniques from her and how to talk to young kids. It’s been a long, wonderful relationship.”
When asked what she hopes her legacy will be, she responded: “I hope it’s been setting an example of what I do and how I am — that people will look at that and emulate me in that way. And I think they have already, to some extent. I just want to make a mark on my profession and all my patients, and I think I’ve succeeded in that. It’s nice to be satisfied with what you do. I feel very fortunate.”
Najjar says she has no plans of slowing down in retirement. A lifelong learner and nature lover, she will spend time outdoors, garden and cook. She will also remain connected to the division, consulting on patient cases on occasion.
She also recently adopted a Border Terrier puppy, Jack, who is 10 months old. “He keeps me running,” she laughed.
