Atul Gawande is an American surgeon, writer, and public health researcher who has made significant contributions to the medical field. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1965, Gawande grew up in Athens, Ohio and later attended Stanford University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology and political science. He went on to earn a medical degree from Harvard Medical School and a master’s degree in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Gawande’s career as a surgeon began at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, where he completed his residency training. He went on to serve as a senior health policy advisor in the Clinton administration and later joined the faculty of Harvard Medical School, where he currently holds the position of Samuel O. Thier Professor of Surgery. In addition to his work as a surgeon, Gawande has been a prolific writer and public health researcher, with a focus on improving the quality and safety of medical care.
Gawande’s wealth is difficult to estimate, as he has not publicly disclosed his net worth. However, he has earned significant income from his medical practice, writing, and speaking engagements. In addition, he has been a prominent advocate for healthcare reform, and his work has been recognized with numerous awards and honors.
Gawande is perhaps best known for his writing, which has appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and The Atlantic. He has authored several books, including “Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science,” “Better: A Surgeon’s Notes on Performance,” and “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End.” In addition to his writing, Gawande has been a vocal advocate for improving the quality of medical care, particularly in the areas of patient safety and end-of-life care.
Gawande’s contributions to the medical field have been recognized with numerous awards and honors, including a MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “genius grant,” in 2006. He has also been named one of the most influential thinkers by Time magazine and one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Forbes magazine.
In addition to his work as a surgeon, writer, and researcher, Gawande has been actively involved in healthcare reform efforts. He has served as a healthcare advisor to President Obama and was a prominent voice in the national debate over the Affordable Care Act. He is also the founder and chair of Ariadne Labs, a joint center for health systems innovation at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and the Harvard School of Public Health.
Overall, Gawande’s wealth is a reflection of his diverse accomplishments in the medical field, as well as his advocacy for improving the quality and accessibility of healthcare.
Here is a timeline of Atul Gawande’s notable events:
- 1965: Atul Gawande is born on November 5th in Brooklyn, New York.
- 1987: Gawande earns a Bachelor of Science degree in biology and political science from Stanford University.
- 1995: Gawande earns his medical degree from Harvard Medical School.
- 1999: Gawande completes his residency in general surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
- 2001: Gawande earns a Master of Public Health degree from the Harvard School of Public Health.
- 2002: Gawande publishes his first book, “Complications: A Surgeon’s Notes on an Imperfect Science.”
- 2006: Gawande is awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, also known as the “genius grant.”
- 2009: Gawande is named a staff writer for The New Yorker.
- 2010: Gawande is appointed to serve as a healthcare advisor to President Obama.
- 2012: Gawande publishes “The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right.”
- 2014: Gawande becomes a professor at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health.
- 2014: Gawande is named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine.
- 2018: Gawande is named the CEO of Haven, a healthcare venture formed by Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase.
- 2021: Gawande steps down from his role as CEO of Haven.
Note: This timeline is not exhaustive and includes only a selection of notable events from Gawande’s life and career.
Here are 5 interesting facts about Atul Gawande:
- In addition to being a surgeon and writer, Gawande is also a public health researcher and advocate, focusing on issues such as healthcare quality, patient safety, and end-of-life care.
- Gawande has written for numerous publications in addition to The New Yorker, including The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal.
- He has been a vocal proponent of using checklists in healthcare settings to improve safety and reduce errors.
- Gawande has received numerous awards and honors for his work, including the MacArthur Fellowship, the Lewis Thomas Award for Writing About Science, and the National Magazine Award.
- In 2021, he was appointed as a senior advisor in the Biden administration’s COVID-19 response team.
Here are 5 quotes from Atul Gawande:
- “Better is possible. It does not take genius. It takes diligence. It takes moral clarity. It takes ingenuity. And above all, it takes a willingness to try.”
- “The score never interested me, only the game.”
- “The most important piece of advice I can give anyone is, ‘Make your work interesting to you.'”
- “A single illness or injury can change everything. It can change not just the life of the person who suffers it, but also the lives of the people around them.”
- “The desire to close a gap between what is and what should be is what drives people, including me, to seek creative solutions.”
