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| William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH |
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William L. Atkinson, MD, MPH |
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Associate Director for Immunization Education |
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| In July 2012, William L.
Atkinson, MD, MPH, retired from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) after 25 years of service. At the time of his
retirement, he was medical epidemiologist and training team lead,
Immunization Services Division, National Center for Immunization and
Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), a position he held for 17 years. In that
role, he pioneered the use of satellite and broadcast technology to
bring immunization education to thousands of immunization providers
simultaneously. During his tenure at CDC, he produced, wrote, and/or
appeared in more than 100 broadcasts and webcasts that were viewed by
more than 300,000 healthcare providers. He also gave more than 600
invited lectures and taught more than 100 two-day training courses
across the United States, addressing more than 150,000 attendees. |
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| Dr. Atkinson's skill as a communicator is
not limited to his speaking prowess. He excels as a writer, as well. In
1995, he conceived, developed, and took the lead in writing one of CDC's
most widely sought-after books, Epidemiology and Prevention of
Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (aka the Pink Book). The book is now in its
twelfth edition, and more than 400,000 copies have been distributed. He is
the author or coauthor of 52 publications and book chapters primarily
relating to measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases. He contributed
to several editions of the American Academy of Pediatrics Red Book and to
Vaccines, the highly regarded textbook edited by Stanley A. Plotkin, MD,
Walter A. Orenstein, MD, and Paul A. Offit, MD.Since 1989, he has been a
member of multiple work groups for the Advisory Committee on Immunization
Practices (ACIP), and is currently a member of work groups responsible for
developing CDC's harmonized child and adolescent immunization schedule,
general immunization recommendations, meningococcal recommendations, and
pertussis recommendations. |
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| Dr. Atkinson was the first recipient of
CDC's highest immunization honor, the Phil Horne Award. He was also the
2001 recipient of the Bill Watson Medal of Excellence, the highest award
given to a CDC employee, and the 2003 Excellence in Distance Training
Award of the United States Distance Learning Association. In February
2013, Dr. Atkinson was awarded the US Public Health Service Distinguished
Service Medal, the highest decoration of the US Public Health Service
Commissioned Corps. |
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| This page was updated on July 10, 2015. |
| This page was reviewed on July 10, 2015. |
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