Shenkman named chair of epidemiology and health policy

Elizabeth A. Shenkman, Ph.D., has been named chair of the department of epidemiology and health policy research, a position she has held for the past year on an interim basis. Shenkman, who holds a second faculty appointment in the department of pediatrics, is also the director of the Institute for Child Health Policy. A former nurse, she earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing and a Ph.D. in educational psychology, all from UF. She leads a growing department that she describes as “a wonderful complement” to the HSC’s established strength in basic and clinical research. Her research focuses on the socioeconomic determinants of quality and outcomes of health care provided to children, particularly those with special needs. “If they don’t receive the proper care early in life, their health problems can stay with them for a lifetime,” she said.