Ala Stanford
{{Short description|American pediatric surgeon}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2022}}
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| nationality = American
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| education = Pennsylvania State University (MD)
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| years_active = 2006–present
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| profession = Pediatric surgery
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Ala Stanford is an American pediatric surgeon. She is the founder of R.E.A.L. Concierge Medicine and the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium. She is also the first African-American, female pediatric surgeon to be trained entirely in the United States. In 2024, Stanford joined the University of Pennsylvania as a professor of practice in the Department of Biology, and as director of Community Outreach for research activities in the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation.
Early life and education
Stanford was born in Germantown, Philadelphia, to a teenaged mother. A few years later, her father went off to college while her mother worked, leaving Stanford in charge of her younger brother.{{cite web |last1=Palmer |first1=Seth |title=Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Ala Stanford |url=https://science.psu.edu/science-journal/winter-2021/alumni-spotlight-dr-ala-stanford |publisher=Pennsylvania State University |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=March 9, 2021}} Following high school, Stanford enrolled at Pennsylvania State University for her undergraduate degree and medical degree. Upon graduating from the Penn State University College of Medicine, Stanford finished her residency at SUNY Downstate Medical Center and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.{{cite web |title=Ala Stanford, MD |url=https://www.abingtonhealth.org/find-a-doctor/profile/doctor-ala-stanford/ |publisher=Abington Health |access-date=December 24, 2021}} Stanford subsequently became the first African-American female pediatric surgeon to be trained entirely in the United States.{{cite web |title=Accomplished pediatric surgeon Ala Stanford Frey to head Temple's Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities |url=https://news.temple.edu/news/accomplished-pediatric-surgeon-ala-stanford-frey-head-temple%E2%80%99s-center-minority-health-and-healt |publisher=Temple University |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=August 6, 2007}}
Career
Following her fellowship at the Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Stanford joined the faculty at Temple University in September 2006. A year later, she was promoted to director of the Center for Minority Health and Health Disparities at Temple University School of Medicine. In this role, Stanford partnered with Allegheny West Foundation to improve the quality of life for area residents.{{cite web |title=Community outreach starts with youth |url=https://news.temple.edu/news/community-outreach-starts-youth |publisher=Temple University |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=November 5, 2008}} As a result of her efforts, Stanford was recognized with the Shirley Chisholm Award from the Philadelphia Congress of the National Congress of Black Women.{{cite web |title=April 18, 2008 |url=https://news.temple.edu/accolade/april-18-2008 |publisher=Temple University |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=April 18, 2008}} She eventually left Temple University to become the director of pediatric surgery at Abington Memorial Hospital. While there, she completed life-saving surgery on a baby from Haiti.{{cite web |title=Haitian toddler to get care at Abington Memorial |url=https://abc7.com/archive/7563306/ |publisher=ABC 7 |access-date=December 24, 2021 |date=July 19, 2010}} Through her hospital connections, Stanford also established Stanford Pediatric Surgery, LLC, It Takes Philly. Inc, and R.E.A.L Concierge Medicine.{{cite news |last1=Mitchell |first1=John N. |title=Historic surgeon opens Abington practice |url=https://www.phillytrib.com/news/historic-surgeon-opens-abington-practice/article_a5e3fc96-1e1f-5049-a9a6-73bc91b3dad5.html |access-date=December 25, 2021 |work=Philadelphia Tribune |date=October 7, 2017}}
During the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Stanford recognized racism in medicine amongst the distribution of vaccines. As such, she left her role as a pediatric surgeon to work full time to address health disparities in Black communities during the pandemic. This led to the establishment of the Black Doctors COVID-19 Consortium (BDCC), which combined a group of around 200 healthcare professionals.{{cite web |last1=Lopez-Lloreda |first1=Claudia |title=Meet the Black Physicians Bringing Covid Vaccines to Hard-Hit Philadelphia Communities |url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/meet-group-black-physicians-working-increase-vaccinations-hard-hit-communities-philadelphia-180977564/ |work=Smithsonian Magazine |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=April 23, 2021}} By February 2021, Stanford and the BDCC had vaccinated nearly 4,000 people of marginalized areas.{{cite web |last1=McGrath |first1=Maggie |title=Dr. Ala Stanford And The Women Who, Ages 50 And Over, Are Leading The Fight Against Covid |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/maggiemcgrath/2021/02/26/dr-ala-stanford-and-the-women-who-ages-50-and-over-are-leading-the-fight-against-covid/?sh=7c1feb22104d |work=Forbes |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=February 26, 2021}} She was also recruited by Philadelphia sports teams, such as the Philadelphia Flyers, to encourage fans to get vaccinated.{{cite web |title=All Flyers players, staff to be fully vaccinated before start of season |url=https://6abc.com/philadelphia-flyers-fully-vaccinated-covid-19-vaccination-wells-fargo-center-nhl-2021-2022-season/11022020/ |publisher=ABC 6 |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=September 15, 2021}} As a result of her efforts, she was recognized by Forbes magazine as a woman over the age of 50 who was changing the world. Stanford was also named one of Fortune Magazine{{'}}s 50 Greatest Leaders{{cite web |title=Dr. Ala Stanford |url=https://fortune.com/worlds-greatest-leaders/2021/dr-ala-stanford/ |work=Fortune |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=2021}} and recognized by CNN as a Top 10 hero.{{cite web |last1=Toner |first1=Kathleen |title=This CNN Hero is fighting to save lives in Philadelphia's communities of color through Covid-19 vaccination and testing |url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/24/health/philadelphia-black-doctors-covid-19-vaccination-cnnheroes/index.html |publisher=CNN |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=June 24, 2021}}{{cite web |last1=Berkery |first1=Patrick |title=Doctor Recognized for Leading the Charge to Fight COVID in Philadelphia's Underserved Neighborhoods |url=https://keystonenewsroom.com/story/doctor-recognized-for-leading-the-charge-to-fight-covid-in-philadelphias-underserved-neighborhoods/ |work=Keystone News |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=November 24, 2021}}
In October 2021, Stanford opened the Ala Stanford Center for Health Equity to offer primary care and behavioral health services to adults and children in North Philadelphia.{{cite web |last1=Feldman |first1=Nina |title=The Black Doctors Consortium's primary care clinic in North Philly is now open |url=https://whyy.org/articles/the-black-doctors-consortiums-primary-care-clinic-in-north-philly-is-now-open/ |publisher=PBS |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=October 27, 2021}} Later that month, she also removed her name from consideration to be Philadelphia's next health commissioner.{{cite web |title=Dr. Ala Stanford no longer vying to be Philly's next health commissioner, citing potential conflict |url=https://whyy.org/articles/dr-ala-stanford-no-longer-vying-to-be-phillys-next-health-commissioner-citing-potential-conflict/ |publisher=PBS |access-date=December 25, 2021 |date=October 31, 2021}} In 2024, Stanford joined the University of Pennsylvania as a professor of practice in the Department of Biology, and as director of Community Outreach for research activities in the Penn Institute for RNA Innovation.{{cite web |title=Ala Stanford, National Leader in Health Equity, Joins Penn |url=https://pan-school.sas.upenn.edu/news/ala-stanford-national-leader-health-equity-joins-penn |publisher=University of Pennsylvania |access-date=October 31, 2024 |date=June 24, 2024}} She was also the recipient of an honorary degree from Haverford College.{{cite web |last1=Mercier |first1=Dominic |title=Haverford Announces 2024 Honorary Degree Recipients |url=https://www.haverford.edu/college-communications/news/haverford-announces-2024-honorary-degree-recipients |publisher=Haverford College |access-date=October 31, 2024 |date=April 10, 2024}}
Awards and honors
- 2024: Honorary Degree from Haverford College
- The Shirley Chisholm Award from the Philadelphia Congress of the National Congress of Black Women in 2018
- The Philadelphia Award in 2021{{cite web |url=https://www.philadelphiaaward.org/winners/dr-ala-stanford/| title=Dr. Ala Stanford – The Philadelphia Award |author= |website=The Philadelphia Award |accessdate=16 May 2022}}{{cite news |last1=Tilitei |first1=Leanna |title=Comcast's Brian Roberts and Black Doctors Covid-19 Consortium's Dr. Ala Stanford to receive Philadelphia Award |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2021/08/12/philadelphia-award-winners-2021-health-care.html |access-date=17 May 2022 |work=Philadelphia Business Journal |publisher=American City Business Journals |date=12 August 2021}}
- The Harris Wofford Active Citizenship Award in 2021 for her work fighting COVID-19{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Darryl |title='Real hero': Dr. Ala Stanford wins award named for late U.S. Sen. Harris Wofford |url=https://whyy.org/articles/real-hero-dr-ala-stanford-wins-award-named-for-late-us-sen-harris-wofford/ |access-date=7 December 2022 |publisher=WHYY |date=6 January 2021}}
- The 2021 Dare to Understand award{{cite web |title=Dr. Ala Stanford, 2021 Dare to Understand Award Recipient |url=https://globalphiladelphia.org/events/dr-ala-stanford-2021-dare-understand-award-recipient |website=globalphiladelphia.org |publisher=Global Philadelphia |access-date=December 7, 2022 |date=May 26, 2021}}
- USA Today's Women of the Year for 2022{{Cite web |date=28 March 2022 |title=Meet USA TODAY's Women of the Year |url=https://www.usatoday.com/storytelling/grid/women-of-the-year-2022/ |access-date=5 September 2022 |website=USA Today |language=en}}
- Top 10 CNN Heroes of 2021
Personal life
Stanford married Byron Drayton on March 30, 2020.{{cite news |last1=Patrick Gates |first1=Kellie |title=Philadelphia weddings: Ala Stanford and Byron Drayton |url=https://www.inquirer.com/love/weddings/philadelphia-weddings-dr-ala-stanford-byron-drayton-20190423.html |access-date=December 25, 2021 |work=The Philadelphia Inquirer |date=April 23, 2019}}
References
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Category:African-American women physicians
Category:American pediatric surgeons
Category:Women paediatric surgeons
Category:Temple University faculty
Category:Pennsylvania State University alumni
Category:University of Pennsylvania faculty
Category:Physicians from Philadelphia
Category:21st-century American physicians
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:21st-century African-American physicians