WALTHAM - Dr. Deborah Frank, director of the Grow Clinic for Children
at Boston Medical Center and professor of child health and well-being in the department of pediatrics at Boston University School of Medicine, has been honored by the Massachusetts Medical Society as the 2020 recipient of the society’s Special Award
for Excellence in Medical Service.
The award honors a physician who has made a distinguished demonstration of compassion and dedication to the medical needs of his or her patients and the general public.
A champion for those most affected by social determinants of health, Frank established the first hospital-based food pantry in the United States, BMC’s Preventive Food Pantry.
Frank, a graduate of Harvard Medical School and fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, is renowned for her work in child growth and development, particularly with those from underserved communities. She also is a founding member of Children’s Health
Watch, a nonpartisan network of pediatricians, public health researchers, and children’s health and policy experts.
“During the 12 years that I have worked as a physician in the Grow Clinic for Children at Boston Medical center, I have seen first-hand the impact that Dr. Frank has had on our patients,” Dr. Caroline Kistin said. “In addition, her commitment to family-centered
advocacy and policy change has fundamentally altered the way we deliver health care and address social and structural determinants of health – both within our institution and around the country.”
The Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is the statewide professional association for physicians and medical students, supporting 25,000 members. We are dedicated to educating and advocating for the physicians of Massachusetts and patients locally and nationally. A leadership voice in health care, the MMS contributes physician and patient perspectives to influence health-related legislation at the state and federal levels, works in support of public health, provides expert advice on physician practice management, and addresses issues of physician well-being. Under the auspices of the NEJM Group, the MMS extends our mission globally by advancing medical knowledge from research to patient care through the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM Catalyst, and the NEJM Journal Watch family of specialty publications, and through our education products for health care professionals: NEJM Knowledge+, NEJM Resident 360, and our accredited and comprehensive continuing medical education programs.
