Erica Frank
Encyclopedia
Erica Frank is a United States
-born physician
, medical researcher and activist now working in Canada
. Frank is Professor in the School of Population and Public Health, and the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia
. She specializes in preventive medicine, and her research emphasizes the degree to which a clinician's positive health habits influences patients' positive health habits.
.
Previously, until 2006, she was full Professor, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, and Director of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
She was Co-Editor in Chief of the scientific journal, Preventive Medicine from 1994 to 1999.
. Erica Frank is married to Randall White, a Vancouver psychiatrist and environmentalist , and is the mother of Ridge Frank-White. She was from 1999 till 2006 a former resident of the Lake Claire cohousing community, and together with her husband she co-designed , built , and inhabited the only energy independent home in Georgia (1995–2006).
degree in 1988 from Mercer University
and an M.P.H.
degree, with an emphasis on Health Education and Epidemiology, in 1984 from Emory University
. Also, she completed a residency in 1990 at Yale University
and performed a fellowship training from 1990 to 1993 at Stanford University
in preventive medicine , and is board certified in preventive medicine
.
citations, and articles in other major peer-reviewed medical journals such as The Lancet
, BMJ
and Annals of Internal Medicine
.
As Principal Investigator, Frank conducted "The Women Physicians’ Health Study". WPHS demonstrated that:
The study demonstrated that female physicians have healthy habits and that those physicians with the healthiest habits are most likely to encourage patients to adopt such habits. These data are summarized in a one-page JAMA paper, and in several dozen additional papers.
Frank was next the Principal Investigator of a national study at 17 U.S. medical schools , showing that it is possible to cultivate personal health habits among medical students, and that these students are then more likely to counsel their patients about prevention .
Frank continues her Healthy Doc = Healthy Patient work by expanding the lens of her research to include international collaborations, including leading the Canadian Physician Health Study in 2007-2008, and work in Colombia, Laos, and Cambodia .
(a national medical honor society) , and her work has been recognized in a number of awards, including:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-born physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, medical researcher and activist now working in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. Frank is Professor in the School of Population and Public Health, and the Department of Family Practice at the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
. She specializes in preventive medicine, and her research emphasizes the degree to which a clinician's positive health habits influences patients' positive health habits.
Positions
Frank is a UBC Tier I Canada Research Chair in Preventive Medicine and Population Health and a Senior Scholar of the The Michael Smith Foundation for Health Research. She is the Founder and Executive Director of Health Sciences Online, the largest and most comprehensive ad-free health sciences information portal; she is also an active volunteer and environmentalist and the immediate past President of Physicians for Social ResponsibilityPhysicians for Social Responsibility
Physicians for Social Responsibility is the largest physician-led organization in the USA working to protect the public from the what they consider threats of nuclear proliferation, climate change, and environmental toxins...
.
Previously, until 2006, she was full Professor, Vice Chair for Academic Affairs, and Director of the Division of Preventive Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia.
She was Co-Editor in Chief of the scientific journal, Preventive Medicine from 1994 to 1999.
Personal life
She is the daughter of Ulrich Anton Frank, who was a biomedical engineer with many patents and a prolific painter and sculptor, and Ruth Esser Frank, a former professor of education at Bucks County Community CollegeBucks County Community College
Bucks County Community College is a two-year community college located in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Founded in 1964, Bucks has three campuses and online courses: a main campus in Newtown, an "Upper County" campus in the town of Perkasie, and a "Lower County" campus in the...
. Erica Frank is married to Randall White, a Vancouver psychiatrist and environmentalist , and is the mother of Ridge Frank-White. She was from 1999 till 2006 a former resident of the Lake Claire cohousing community, and together with her husband she co-designed , built , and inhabited the only energy independent home in Georgia (1995–2006).
Education
Frank received a M.D.Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
degree in 1988 from Mercer University
Mercer University
Mercer University is an independent, private, coeducational university with a Baptist heritage located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Mercer is the only university of its size in the United States that offers programs in eleven diversified fields of study: liberal arts, business, education, music,...
and an M.P.H.
Master of Public Health
The Master of Public Health and the Doctor of Public Health are multi-disciplinary professional degrees awarded for studies in areas related to public health....
degree, with an emphasis on Health Education and Epidemiology, in 1984 from Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
. Also, she completed a residency in 1990 at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
and performed a fellowship training from 1990 to 1993 at Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in preventive medicine , and is board certified in preventive medicine
Preventive medicine
Preventive medicine or preventive care refers to measures taken to prevent diseases, rather than curing them or treating their symptoms...
.
Research
Frank's research has focused on physician's preventive habits . This work has led to develop the Healthy Doc - Healthy Patient project, a series of programs to improve physicians' prevention counseling by improving their personal health practices. Frank has done extensive research on the extent to which physicians' habits shape their patients' habits . She has published over 100 articles including four first-authored JAMAJournal of the American Medical Association
The Journal of the American Medical Association is a weekly, peer-reviewed, medical journal, published by the American Medical Association. Beginning in July 2011, the editor in chief will be Howard C. Bauchner, vice chairman of pediatrics at Boston University’s School of Medicine, replacing ...
citations, and articles in other major peer-reviewed medical journals such as The Lancet
The Lancet
The Lancet is a weekly peer-reviewed general medical journal. It is one of the world's best known, oldest, and most respected general medical journals...
, BMJ
BMJ
BMJ is a partially open-access peer-reviewed medical journal. Originally called the British Medical Journal, the title was officially shortened to BMJ in 1988. The journal is published by the BMJ Group, a wholly owned subsidiary of the British Medical Association...
and Annals of Internal Medicine
Annals of Internal Medicine
Annals of Internal Medicine is an academic medical journal published by the American College of Physicians . It publishes research articles and reviews in the area of internal medicine. Its current editor is Christine Laine...
.
As Principal Investigator, Frank conducted "The Women Physicians’ Health Study". WPHS demonstrated that:
- physicians’ health practices strongly and consistently influence their patient care practices and that
- women physicians represent a high standard for adoption of health behaviors.
The study demonstrated that female physicians have healthy habits and that those physicians with the healthiest habits are most likely to encourage patients to adopt such habits. These data are summarized in a one-page JAMA paper, and in several dozen additional papers.
Frank was next the Principal Investigator of a national study at 17 U.S. medical schools , showing that it is possible to cultivate personal health habits among medical students, and that these students are then more likely to counsel their patients about prevention .
Frank continues her Healthy Doc = Healthy Patient work by expanding the lens of her research to include international collaborations, including leading the Canadian Physician Health Study in 2007-2008, and work in Colombia, Laos, and Cambodia .
Awards and Accomplishments
Frank has been lauded in the scientific community for her work in public health and preventive medicine. She is a member of Alpha Omega AlphaAlpha Omega Alpha
The Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society, commonly called Alpha Omega Alpha and abbreviated ΑΩΑ or AOA, is a national honor society for medical students, residents, scientists and physicians in the United States and Canada.-History:...
(a national medical honor society) , and her work has been recognized in a number of awards, including:
- The AMAAmerican Medical AssociationThe American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:...
/Pettis Award, for her work as the outstanding U.S. medical student communicator (1987) - The American College of Preventive MedicineAmerican College of Preventive MedicineFounded in 1954, the American College of Preventive Medicine is a U.S.-based physician organization focused on practice, research, publication, and teaching of evidence-based preventive medicine...
’s (ACPM’s) “Rising Star Award” (in 1996, the first year this award was offered) - The Outstanding Alumnus Award from the Rollins School of Public HealthRollins School of Public HealthThe Rollins School of Public Health is the public health school of Emory University. Founded in 1990, RSPH has more than 850 students pursuing master's degrees and over 100 students pursuing doctorate degrees...
(1998) - Featured as an “ecoheroine” by Atlanta Woman magazine (2005)
- Appointed as Canada Research Chair (2006)