Howard Markel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Howard Markel
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| Born | April 23, 1960 |
| Education | University of Michigan (BA, MD) Johns Hopkins University (PhD) |
Howard Markel, born on April 23, 1960, is an American doctor and a historian of medicine. Until the end of 2023, he worked at the University of Michigan Medical School. There, he was a special professor of medical history and led the university's Center for the History of Medicine. He also taught about mental health, health policy, general history, and diseases that spread easily. Dr. Markel has written many books and articles about important events and people in the history of medicine and public health.
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Early Life and Education
Howard Markel was born in Detroit, Michigan. He grew up in nearby towns called Oak Park and Southfield. He went to the University of Michigan and earned a degree in English in 1982. He then became a doctor, getting his M.D. degree from the University of Michigan Medical School in 1986.
After medical school, Dr. Markel completed his training in pediatrics (children's medicine) at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and Johns Hopkins Hospital. He finished this training in 1993. Later, he joined the University of Michigan as a professor. He also earned his Ph.D. in the History of Medicine, Science, and Technology from Johns Hopkins in 1994.
Helping the Government and Media
Dr. Markel is an expert on how diseases spread. He has often shared his knowledge with the government and the media.
Influenza Advice
From 2005 to 2006, Dr. Markel helped the United States Department of Defense plan for future flu outbreaks. From 2006 to 2016, he was a main historical advisor for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on how to get ready for pandemics.
He was part of a special team that advised the government during the 2009 H1N1 flu pandemic. Dr. Markel and his team at the Center for the History of Medicine worked with the CDC. They created a huge online collection of information about the 1918 influenza pandemic. This was the deadliest pandemic of the 20th century. Their work helped people learn more about how to stop diseases from spreading.
Ebola Outbreak
During the 2014 Ebola epidemic, Dr. Markel shared his knowledge about epidemics and quarantines. He appeared on many news programs like NPR, the BBC World Service, and PBS NewsHour. He also wrote articles for newspapers like The New York Times.
He reminded everyone that "we are a global village." This means that germs can travel very fast, especially with modern travel like jet planes. He helped people understand the Ebola outbreak better through his writings.
COVID-19 Pandemic
Dr. Markel is well-known for his work with Martin Cetron at the CDC. They helped develop the idea of "flattening the curve." This is a way of using social distancing to slow down the spread of a disease. This idea helped save millions of lives around the world during the first wave of COVID-19. Many news outlets, including "The New Yorker" magazine, covered their important work.
Dr. Markel also wrote an article in The New York Times about the Chinese government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He believed that the strict shutdown of Wuhan was "too much too late." He suggested that small, steady steps work better than very harsh measures.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Markel has received many awards for his work in history, medicine, and health policy.
In 1996, he received a grant for his work on how American doctors treated immigrants. In 1997, he won an award from the National Institutes of Health for his research on U.S. immigration policy and public health.
The American Public Health Association honored his book Quarantine! in 2003. They called it an "outstanding book in the History of Public Health in America." In 2007, he received another award for his presentation on how American cities fought the 1918-19 flu pandemic.
In 2008, Dr. Markel was elected to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies. This was in recognition of his important contributions to medicine and public health. In 2015, this group was renamed the National Academy of Medicine, and he remains a member.
He received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 2015. This award is given to scholars who show great ability in their research. In 2016, he was honored by Johns Hopkins University for his excellent scholarly work.
His book "The Kelloggs" was a finalist for a major book award in 2017. In 2019, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine gave him a Distinguished Alumnus Award. This award celebrates his excellent personal and professional achievements. In 2021, he was named a Visiting Fellow at Clare Hall, University of Cambridge.
