Halleh Akbarnia, MD
Emergency Medicine Physician, Advocate Condell Medical Center, Organizer with Moms Demand
Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team (IMPACT)
Topics: gun violence treatment and prevention/advocacy, medical and STEM career pathways
About
Dr. Halleh Akbarnia is an Emergency Medicine physician practicing primarily at Advocate Condell Medical Center. Much of her career has been devoted to teaching and resident education, a passion developed during her own residency program at Virginia Commonwealth University, where she went on to serve as faculty and as Assistant Program Director for the Emergency Medicine Residency Program before relocating to Chicago 13 years ago. She is also dedicated to improving public health, and has committed much of her time giving back throughout the years by serving on various hospital committees, including her Incident Command involvement, Emergency Disaster Preparedness, Critical Care and various educational Residency Committees. In the community, she has done the same through her children's high school, where she enjoys providing students with information about medical careers and promoting STEM pathways for young women; and through involvement with projects in the greater Chicago area, such as Operation Prom (drunk driving education in high schools). Together with her family, who shares this passion for local activism and volunteering, she has been particularly active supporting local pantries, food banks, and drives in times of greatest need, especially during the current COVID-19 pandemic. She received her undergraduate and medical degrees from Tufts University and the University of Vermont Larner School of Medicine, respectively, and completed her residency in Emergency Medicine at the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) College of Medicine.
More recently, she has been involved with Illinois Medical Professionals Action Collaborative Team (IMPACT) and vaccination efforts in Chicago. Together, they have been putting out information to healthcare providers and the public about COVID, giving lectures, community talks, and holding clinics. Dr Akbarnia has also spoken on gun violence from a personal perspective; on treating gun violence patients as a physician; and on being a leader in Moms Demand.