Prof. Edward F. Bell honorary doctor of the University of Pécs since 7 November 2013.
Short curriculum vitae
Education and Training
- Bachelor of Arts degree, Washington and Jefferson College, 1969
- M.D. degree, Columbia University, 1973
- Pediatrics residency, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, 1973-1976
- Neonatology fellowship, McMaster University (John Sinclair, mentor), 1976-1977
- Neonatology fellowship, Women and Infants Hospital of Rhode Island (William Oh, mentor), 1977-1979
Faculty Appointment
University of Iowa
- Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, 1979-1983
- Associate Professor of Pediatrics, 1983-1988
- Professor of Pediatrics, 1988-
- Director of Neonatology, 1988-2005
- Vice Chair of Pediatrics for Faculty Development, 2005-
Honors
- Humanism in Medicine Award, Association of American Medical Colleges, 2002
- Founders Award, Midwest Society for Pediatric Research, 2007
- Doctor Honoris Causa degree, University of Medicine & Pharmacy Grigore T. Popa, Iaşi, Romania, 2011
National and International Service
American Academy of Pediatrics
- Committee on Nutrition, 1987-1993
- Committee on Fetus and Newborn, 2001-2007
American Board of Pediatrics, Subboard of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, 1995-2000
Midwest Society for Pediatric Research, President, 1991-1992
Society for Pediatric Research
- Council member in neonatology, 1990-1993
- Program Committee, 1992-1995
Newborn Screening, Treatment and Referral Training Program, Romania, 1999-2000
Honorary member, Neonatology Association of Romania, 2000-present
Operation Smile, Romania, 2001
Project Wellborn, Lithuania, 2002
Course Director, Recent Advances in Neonatology, Kyiv, Ukraine, 2003
Project Healthy Baby, Romania, taught Neonatal Resuscitation Program instructor courses in Romania, 2005
Project Healthy Baby, Romania, taught S.T.A.B.L.E. instructor courses in Romania, 2007
Project Vietnam, taught neonatology in Vietnam, 2007
Examiner of graduating medical students, Jordan University of Science and Technology, Irbid, Jordan, 2009
Editorial Board, Neonatologia (Bucharest), 2010-present
Workshop Director, New Advances in Respiratory Care of the Newborn Infant, Târgu Mureş, Romania, 2012
Abstract of Scientific Lecture
The Tiniest Babies: Treatment Decisions and Outcomes Near the Limit of Viability
Management of the pregnancy and neonate near the limit of viability presents difficult decisions to be made by the parents and the medical team. The active treatment of extremely preterm infants generates questions because of the high cost and uncertain results of treatment. However, under careful examination, the costs are no greater and the outcomes no worse than other medical treatments that generate less debate.
The Tiniest Babies Registry was developed in 2000. This is a web-based registry of infants with birth weight below 400 grams who survived to hospital discharge. On October 1, 2013, the Registry included 152 surviving infants with birth weight below 400 grams. The smallest infant was 260 grams, and 18 infants were born weighing less than 300 grams. The most immature infant in the Registry was conceived by in-vitro fertilization and born with gestational age of 21 weeks and 6 days. All but 2 of the infants were small for gestational age, and 74% are female. With 3 infants, Hungary ranks #5 among countries in the number of infants in the Registry.
Increased awareness that even very tiny, extremely preterm infants may survive without major handicap will lead to further improvements in the outcome of such infants. The goal of obstetricians, neonatologist, and parents everywhere should be to maximize the number of infants who survive with an acceptable quality of life. Ultimately, of course, our goal should be to prevent premature birth.