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An influential teacher to neonatal students, residents and colleagues all over the world, Dr. Richard A. Polin, director of the Division of Neonatology of the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian and professor of pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, was awarded the Neonatal Education Award in Perinatal Pediatrics by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Dr. Polin received the honor on Oct. 8 during the AAP's Section on Perinatal Pediatrics national conference in Atlanta, Ga. The annual award recognizes an individual who has made outstanding contributions in neonatal and perinatal medicine among health-care students, professionals or the lay public.

"I am truly honored to receive this award from my peers, whose inspiration and collaborations have helped us further the practice of pediatrics," says Dr. Polin.

Presenting the award was Dr. John M. Driscoll, director of pediatrics at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian and chairman of pediatrics at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, who nominated Dr. Polin for the award.

"It is evident to me, that Rich truly works at being a great teacher and the results are obvious," says Dr. Driscoll. "Although he could have rested on his accomplishments, Rich continues to expand on his expertise and the quality of his presentations, which I believe is an extraordinary attribute given his already existent capability."

In 2005, Dr. Polin received the Physician of the Year Award from the Division of Nursing of the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center and the Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian.

Dr. Polin is the co-editor of one of the most frequently used textbooks in neonatology, "Fetal and Neonatal Physiology." He has edited five other books, 95 papers and 55 editorial reviews and chapters. He has lectured extensively nationally and internationally. For 10 years, he has organized a weeklong neonatology seminar for the American Austrian Foundation in Salzburg, Austria, and satellite symposiums in Bratislava, Prague, St. Petersburg, Moscow, Budapest, Belgrade and Vilnius.

A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Polin received his B.A. and M.D. degrees from Temple University and completed a pediatric internship and residency at Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago and a neonatology fellowship at what was then called the Children's Hospital of New York (now Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital). He served on the faculty of Children's Hospital of Philadelphia before returning to Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital in 1998.

Dr. Polin lives in Englewood, N.J. with his wife, Helene, and has four children.

For more information, patients may call 866-NYP-NEWS.

The American Academy of Pediatrics

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and its member pediatricians dedicate their efforts and resources to the health, safety and well-being of infants, children, adolescents and young adults. The AAP has approximately 60,000 members in the United States, Canada and Latin America. Members include pediatricians, pediatric medical sub-specialists and pediatric surgical specialists. More than 34,000 members are board-certified and called Fellows of the American Academy of Pediatrics (FAAP).

Columbia University Medical Center

Columbia University Medical Center provides international leadership in pre-clinical and clinical research, in medical and health sciences education, and in patient care. The medical center trains future leaders and includes the dedicated work of many physicians, scientists, nurses, dentists, and public health professionals at the College of Physicians & Surgeons, the College of Dental Medicine, the School of Nursing, the Mailman School of Public Health, the biomedical departments of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and allied research centers and institutions.

Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian

Ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top six children's hospitals in the country, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian offers the best available care in every area of pediatrics – including the most complex neonatal and critical care, and all areas of pediatric subspecialties – in a family-friendly and technologically advanced setting. Building a reputation for more than a century as one of the nation's premier children's hospitals, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is affiliated with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and is New York City's only hospital dedicated solely to the care of children and the largest provider of children's health services in the tri-state area with a long-standing commitment to its community. Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian is also a major international referral center, meeting the special needs of children from infancy through adolescence worldwide.