Scott F. Dowell, MD, MPH, is currently a Deputy Director for Surveillance and Epidemiology at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Washington. Scott spent much of his childhood at HAS. His father, Duane was a pediatrician and later HAS Medical Director, and mother Vera was a teacher and later president of the Alumni Association. In fact, Scott was treated at HAS during one of his stays:
I had my first experience with surgery at HAS Haiti at age 12. My father was a pediatrician serving at the hospital. I was galloping home from school and a loud noise startled my horse, causing it to throw me. I fell onto the rocky road, and realized after a few moments that white bone was protruding from my knee – it was my kneecap. I was rushed to the HAS operating room, where the staff took care of me, and I healed in no time. I didn’t realize just how unusual that experience was – the ability to get immediate expert care for a traumatic injury in a developing country – until I had spent 20 years working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, collaborating with healthcare institutions around the world.
Since this episode, Scott has gone on to excel in his field: Global Infectious Diseases. Scott’s work has focused on the viral and bacterial causes of respiratory infections, controlling the spread of antimicrobial resistance, and responding to outbreaks of emerging infectious diseases. He has a special interest in the causes of childhood mortality. He stays in close contact with HAS doctors and staff and we are extremely lucky to have a life-long member of the HAS community serving on our Board, helping us to make strategic decisions about our future.