Title: Emeritus Clinical Professor of Pediatrics
Company: University of Washington School of Medicine
Location: Mercer Island, Washington, United States
Donald L. Shifrin, MD, Emeritus Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Doctors for dedication, achievements, and leadership in pediatrics.
Holding considerable expertise in pediatric trauma, orthopedics, gastroenterology and working with children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder as well as those with autism, Dr. Shifrin has held the title of Emeritus Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Washington School of Medicine since 2020, having been appointed to full Clinical Professor in 2004.
He excelled as a senior physician at Pediatric Associates, now Allegro Pediatrics, from 1978 until his retirement in 2017.
Entering pediatrics at a time when there were few states with seat belt laws for children, Doctor Shifrin was directly involved in advocating for the use of car seats in California while serving as Chief Pediatric Resident at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles from 1977 to 1978. Moving to Seattle in 1978, he was instrumental in passing legislation to institute car seat laws in Washington state.
This early legislative exposure gave him a new understanding of the impact of media on shaping public opinion. This led to his involvement for the last 4 decades in print, radio, and television media. Doctor Shifrin has served as a media spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics beginning in 1988.
He served as the voice of the Academy’s Minute for Kids PSA radio spots on WBBM, Chicago’s CBS station, for 24 years until 2022 when the station discontinued the spots. As a spokesperson and the chair of the Academy’s Committee on Communications from 2004-2009, he has given many presentations on the impact of using media to influence children’s attitudes, behaviors, and choices to the press, Academy members, and in public forums. In 2006 and 2014, he authored viewpoint articles for the JAMA Pediatrics journal on media issues, the latter entitled, “Families, Pediatricians, and the Challenge of Digital Kids.”
Prior to embarking on his clinical career, Doctor Shifrin completed his 3-year pediatric residency at The Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles from 1974 to 1978, serving as Chief Resident his final year. He was certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in 1981 and elected as a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1982.
He graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Washington in 1970, where his academic credentials resulted in his induction into Alpha Epsilon Delta, the national pre-medical honor society. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from the Georgetown University School of Medicine. At Georgetown, he was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha national medical student honor society in 1974.
During his long career, Doctor Shifrin has been the recipient of several honors. For his dedication and service to the Academy of Pediatrics, he was voted to receive the Holroyd-Sherry Award, given annually to a member recognized for their contributions to educate the public concerning the media’s impact on children from toddlers to teens. In 2016, he was presented by Seattle Children’s Hospital with the annual Molteni Award for outstanding contributions by a community pediatrician. With all these accomplishments, Doctor Shifrin has previously been featured in the 8th edition of Who’s Who in Medicine and Health Care, the 11th edition of Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, and multiple editions of Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in the West, and Who’s Who in the World.
Born in Portland, Oregon, Doctor Shifrin now resides in Seattle with his wife, Barbara Ross Chamberlain, to whom he has been married since 2002. He is also the proud father of two adult children, Max Burton and Alexis Chamberlin. In his free time, Doctor Shifrin enjoys reading, playing tennis, and listening to podcasts. Since retiring in 2017, he has been featured on a weekly live pediatric segment on the local NBC television news station. He also is involved in philanthropy for Seattle Children’s Hospital and is on the Board of the Seattle Jewish Family Service.
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