Eric E. Whitaker facts for kids

Eric E. Whitaker, born in 1964 or 1965, is an important African-American doctor. He is also an expert in public health and how health policies work. He is known for being a good friend of former President Barack Obama.

Eric Whitaker: A Leader in Health

His Journey in Education and Medicine

Eric Whitaker studied chemistry at Grinnell College, finishing in 1987. Later, in 1993, he earned two advanced degrees. He got a master's degree in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health. He also received his medical degree from the University of Chicago's Pritzker School of Medicine.

Before his current roles, Dr. Whitaker was a top leader at the Pritzker School of Medicine. He was in charge of the Urban Health Initiative. This program helped connect patient care with improving the health of people in South Side Chicago. It did this through teaching and research.

Helping Communities: Public Health Work

Until September 2007, Dr. Whitaker was the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). This is a big state agency that works to keep people healthy. In this job, he managed a large budget and over 1,200 employees. He also oversaw three laboratories and seven regional offices across Illinois.

Before working for the state, Dr. Whitaker was a doctor at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. He worked in Internal Medicine, which focuses on adult health. He also helped with research there. His research looked at preventing HIV/AIDS and improving health for minority groups, especially Black men.

Dr. Whitaker also helped start a special clinic called Project Brotherhood. This clinic is for African-American men. It offers weekly health services in Woodlawn, a neighborhood on Chicago's South Side.

Leading Hospitals and Healthcare

Starting in 2018, Dr. Whitaker became a co-owner of a company called Pipeline Health. This company is based in Los Angeles. In January 2019, Pipeline Health bought three hospitals in the Chicago area. These hospitals were Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital in Chicago, Westlake Hospital in Melrose Park, and West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park, Illinois.

Dr. Whitaker announced that Pipeline Health would keep two of the hospitals open. Westlake Hospital stopped offering services in April 2019.

Awards and Special Recognition

In 1991, Eric Whitaker was the president of the American Medical Student Association (AMSA). He spoke to the U.S. Congress twice. He talked about important topics like national health insurance and health issues for minority groups.

In 2003, he received the Laureate Award from the American College of Physicians. This award recognizes doctors who have achieved a lot in medicine.

In November 2003, a magazine called Crain’s Chicago Business named him one of their "Forty under Forty." This list highlights rising stars in business and government in Chicago who are under 40 years old.