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June 7, 2016
Los Angeles/London— Dr. Adam Levine, the head of International Medical Corps’ Ebola Research Team, has been selected by the American Medical Association Foundation as the recipient of an Excellence in Medicine Award for his work surrounding the largest-ever epidemic of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in West Africa. More than 11,300 died during the 2014-2015 outbreak —most of them in just three countries: Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea.
Dr. Levine deployed to Liberia as a volunteer with International Medical Corps in the summer of 2014 as part of the response to contain the escalating outbreak. He helped open the group’s first Ebola Treatment Unit, located in Bong County, a severely affected area about four hours by road northwest of the capital, Monrovia. He served as medical coordinator there during the facility’s critical initial stages as the outbreak neared its height. He later shifted his focus to Ebola-related research, including the consolidation of our own clinical, epidemiological, and operational data and facilitating other external and internal research. He is also taking the lead in working with other organizations and the international Ebola research community on data and information sharing.
The prize, formally known as the Dr. Nathan Davis International Award in Medicine, is one of three areas of excellence recognized annually by the Foundation to honor physicians who represent the highest values of altruism, compassion, and dedication to patient care. The other two are Excellence in the Spirit of Medicine and Excellence in Volunteerism.
The award includes a $2,500 grant to International Medical Corps.
“It is an incredible honor to be recognized by the AMA Foundation,” said Dr. Levine. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with International Medical Corps, first as medical coordinator at the organization’s first Ebola Treatment Unit in the region, then later, having the chance to lead the group’s Ebola Research Team, which we established to learn as much as possible from the experience of fighting the virus.”
AMA Foundation President William Kobler, MD, praised the Dr. Levine’s selection, telling him, “The caliber of our nominees was awe-inspiring, and your selection from such an impressive group speaks volumes in recognizing your dedication to the profession of medicine.”
The Ebola crisis marked Dr. Levine’s fourth deployment with International Medical Corps. His first came as part of its response to the earthquake that hit Haiti in January 2010. He also responded to humanitarian emergencies in Libya (2011) and South Sudan (2012). He will receive the award at a formal ceremony and dinner on June 10th in Chicago, held in conjunction with the AMA’s Annual Meeting.
