Shawna Nesbitt, M.D.

Shawna D. (Smith) Nesbitt, M.D., M.S., is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center, and a member of the hypertension section in the Division of Cardiology. She serves as the Medical Director of the Parkland Hypertension Clinic, as well as Associate Dean of the Medical School's Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion.

Originally from Pennsylvania, Dr. Nesbitt holds a bachelor's degree from Gannon University in Erie. She earned her medical degree at Hahnemann University College of Medicine in Philadelphia, and completed internal medicine residency training at Allegheny General Hospital. She then received advanced training in hypertension through a fellowship program at the University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers. She also holds an M.S. in clinical research design and statistical analysis from the University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Prior to joining the UT Southwestern faculty in 2001, Dr. Nesbitt served as an Assistant Professor in the University of Michigan’s Department of Internal Medicine. She is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Society of Hypertension Specialist Program.

Her research interests include hypertension in African Americans, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia. Dr. Nesbitt is the National Coordinator for the TROPHY Study (Trial of Prevention Hypertension). The study is a 4-year trial which includes over 71 sites and more than 800 patients. She is funded by the National Institutes of Health to study the relationship of oxidative stress and genetics in the development of hypertension.

She has published scores of scholarly articles, authored and co-authored a number of book chapters, and delivered many national and international invited lectures about these and related topics. She is currently involved in several clinical trials.

At UT Southwestern, she is active in education and curriculum planning, student retention and recognition, and diversity and inclusion. She is a mentor of Cary College, and has taught widely on hypertension, medical leadership, unconscious bias, and other topics.

Dr. Nesbitt is a fellow of both the American Heart Association (AHA) Council on Hypertension and the American Society of Hypertension (ASH), as well as a past president of the International Society of Hypertension in Blacks. She currently serves on the boards of directors for both the ASH and the AHA SouthWest Affiliate.

Medical School

Hahnemann University College of Medicine (1988)

Internship

Allegheny General Hospital- Internship Program (1989), Internal Medicine

Residency

Allegheny General Hospital- Internship Program (1991), Internal Medicine

Fellowship

University of Michigan Hospitals & Health Centers (1992), Hypertension

Graduate School

University of Michigan, School of Public Health (1999)

Other Post Graduate Training

University of Michigan, School of Public Health (1999)

• Hyperlipidemia
• Hypertension
• Hypertension in African-Americans
• Oxidative Stress and Genetics of Prehypertension

Featured Publications

Mild Hypertension: An Importance Frontier in Therapy of Hypertension.

Julius S, Nesbitt SD, Brook R in Oparil S, Weber M (ed), Hypertension: A Companion to Brenner and Rector's "The Kidney" 2000 Chapter 42 398-404

Stroke. Increasing the odds in your favor.

Nesbitt S, Baganz M In: Crute S (ed), Health and Healing for African Americans. Pennsylvania, Rodale Press, Inc. 1997 1st ed. 428-433

Home blood pressure as a predictor of future blood pressure stability in borderline hypertension.

Nesbitt SD, Amerena JV, Grant E, Jamerson KA, Lu H, Weder A, Julius S Am J Hypertens 1997 10(11) 1270-1280

Hematocrit levels and physiologic factors in relationship to cardiovascular risk in Tecumseh, Michigan.

Smith [Nesbitt] S, Julius S, Jamerson K, Amerena J, Schork N J Hypertens 1994 12(4) 455-462

Genetic contribution to the variance in left ventricular mass: the Tecumseh offspring study.

Palatini P, Tikhonoff V, Krause L, Amerena J, Nesbitt S, et al. J Hypertens July 2002 19(7) 1217-1222

Can hypertension be prevented? The Danish Hypertension Prevention Project and the Trial of Prevention of Hypertension studies.

Skov K, Julius S, Nesbitt S, Mulvany MJ Curr Opin Cardiol July 2002 17(4) 380-384

Obesity: Putting Our Children at Risk.

Nesbitt, S Ethn & Dis Summer 2002 12(3) 320-321

Prehypertension: A Possible Target for Antihypertensive Medication.

Nesbitt SD, Julius S Curr Hypertens Reports 2000 2(4) 356-361

• Gold Humanism Honor Society
  UT Southwestern (2021)
• Women Who STEAM Dallas
  The Links Organization (2019)
• Outstanding Physician-PA Partnership of the Year
  Texas Academy of Physician Assistants (2018)
• Best Doctors in Dallas
  D Magazine (2017)
• Best Doctors in Dallas
  D Magazine (2016)
• Outstanding Individual in Science and Medicine
  Allstate Insurance (2004)
• Sakofa Award
  Allstate Insurance (2004)
• Fellow
  American Heart Association and the Council for High Blood Pressure Research (2002)
• Professional Development Seminar
  Junior Women Faculty (2000)
• Teaching Seminar on Cardiovascular Epidemiology
  American Heart Association (1994)

• American College of Physicians
• American Heart Association
• American Society of Hypertension
• Association of Black Cardiologists
• International Society of Hypertension in Blacks