Shawna Nesbitt, M.D. Titles and Appointments Vice President Chief Institutional Opportunity Officer Professor Endowed Title John C. Vanatta III Professorship School Medical School Department Office for Institutional Opportunity | Internal Medicine You have reached the Academic Profile. For more information on the doctor and patient care, please visit the clinical profile. Biography Shawna D. (Smith) Nesbitt, M.D., M.S., is the John C. Vanatta III 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 Vice President and Chief Institutional Opportunity Officer. 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 has served as a leader and investigator in national clinical trials such as the TROPHY Study (Trial of Prevention Hypertension), as well as clinical trials funded by the National Institutes of Health to study 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. At UT Southwestern, she previously served as an Associate Dean for Student Affairs and has been active in education and curriculum planning, student retention and recognition. She is a mentor of Cary College and has taught widely on health equity and clinical care. She is the recipient of several awards recognizing her efforts in science and medicine. 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 board of the American Heart Association Council of Hypertension, and the chairperson of the American Heart Association Southwest Affiliate, North Texas Hypertension Collaborative. In her current role as Vice President and Chief Institutional Opportunity Officer, she leads efforts to create innovative opportunities in a supportive culture that fosters success for every individual and supports the mission of the institution. Education 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 Other Post Graduate Training University of Michigan, School of Public Health (1999) Graduate School University of Michigan, School of Public Health (1999) Research Interest Hyperlipidemia Hypertension Hypertension in African-Americans Oxidative Stress and Genetics of Prehypertension Publications 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 Results 1-8 of 8 1 Honors & Awards John C. Vanatta III, ProfessorshipDepartment of Medicine, UT Southwestern Medical Center (2024) Commitment & Dedication Service AwardCV Roman Medical Society, Dallas Chapter of National Medical Association (2023) John P. McGovern Annual Award LecturerAmerican Osler Society (2023) Loehr Lifetime Achievement AwardAmerican Heart Association/Woven Heart Healthy Lives Committee (2023) Gold Humanism Honor SocietyUT Southwestern (2021) Women Who STEAM DallasThe Links Organization (2019) Outstanding Physician-PA Partnership of the YearTexas Academy of Physician Assistants (2018) Best Doctors in DallasD Magazine (2017) Best Doctors in DallasD Magazine (2016) Outstanding Individual in Science and MedicineAllstate Insurance (2004) Sakofa AwardAllstate Insurance (2004) FellowAmerican Heart Association and the Council for High Blood Pressure Research (2002) Professional Development SeminarJunior Women Faculty (2000) Teaching Seminar on Cardiovascular EpidemiologyAmerican Heart Association (1994) Professional Associations/Affiliations American College of Physicians American Heart Association American Society of Hypertension Association of Black Cardiologists International Society of Hypertension in Blacks
