February 19, 2010

Preventive medicine group honors Schaffner

Preventive medicine group honors Schaffner

William Schaffner, M.D., Vanderbilt University Medical Center's go-to expert for topics such as colds and flu, vaccines and H1N1 is the 2010 recipient of the American College of Preventive Medicine's (ACPM) Ronald Davis Special Recognition Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements or contributions to the field of preventive medicine.

William Schaffner, M.D.

William Schaffner, M.D.

Schaffner, chair of Preventive Medicine, is a national authority on hospital infections and vaccines. He was a leading source of public health information on the H1N1 virus during 2009, educating millions of viewers, readers and listeners about the virus and the vaccine through hundreds of print, radio and television interviews.

Schaffner will receive the award Feb. 20 in Crystal City, Va., at the ACPM's annual meeting Preventive Medicine 2010, the premier event for professionals in disease prevention and health promotion.

“It is extremely gratifying to be recognized by one's peers nationally and also a great source of pride to represent Vanderbilt and its preventive medicine faculty on this occasion,” Schaffner said.

The award is named for ACPM Fellow and past American Medical Association President Ronald Davis, M.D., a leader in the field of preventive medicine. Davis worked tirelessly as an advocate in the field of public health.

Schaffner is the first Vanderbilt recipient and joins past honorees such as former Surgeon General David Satcher, M.D., Ph.D., who won the award in 2009.