Emergency medicine physician receives two national awards for advancing health equity

Tiffani Johnson, associate professor of emergency medicine at UC Davis Health, has received two national awards for her work in pediatric emergency medicine.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) honored Johnson with the Jane Knapp Emerging Pediatric Emergency Medicine Leader Award. It recognizes a Section of Emergency Medicine  member who has made outstanding contributions to the field of pediatric emergency medicine during the first 10 years of their career.

In addition, Johnson received the 2023 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Excellence Award from the AAP. The recipient of the award is chosen based on a career-long commitment to advancing child health equity through advocacy, clinical practice and research. It also and for promoting equity, diversity and inclusion within the profession of pediatrics.

Last month, Johnson was presented with the awards during AAP National Conference in Washington, D.C.

“I’m deeply honored and humbled to receive these awards from such a renowned organization that is committed to advancing child health,” said Johnson. “As I celebrate receiving these awards, I also recognize that there is a great deal of work yet to be done; not just on the national landscape, but also right here in the community of Sacramento and within our health care system at UC Davis.”

A nationally recognized researcher and thought leader on race and racism and its impact on child health, Johnson is also an author. In a book recently published by AAP, she wrote a chapter that includes strategies for pediatric health professionals to confront personal biases, and makes recommendations for addressing not only individual attitudes, but also dismantling biased policies and practices within organizations and systems.