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Reflections on the early years of neonatology. William Oh: neonatal pioneer devoted his career to groundbreaking research, expanding patient care, and mentoring others

Journal of Perinatology volume 39, pages 18–27 (2019)Cite this article

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The development of a new field in medicine is an exciting time as every discovery is innovative. In the 1960s, a small group of men and women around the world were at the forefront of pioneering what would become neonatology. This was accomplished by building on clinical experience and outstanding preclinical research done in various animal models. The blending of science and medicine enabled these founding pediatric specialists to save the lives of preterm and sick full-term babies, which was hardly imaginable only a few years earlier. One of these leaders came from an unlikely spot—not the United States, Canada, Europe, or South Africa where most were located—but on the small southern Philippine island of Mindanao, in the city of Cagayan De Oro. William Oh, MD, Professor of Pediatrics, neonatologist, mentor, administrator, and a self-described “jack of all trades” researcher started his legendary career in these humble beginnings. Born in 1932, Oh would go on to inspire hundreds of trainees and develop a research career that resulted in >400 peer-reviewed publications and 50 textbook chapters. Additionally, he applied for and received multiple National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding awards. With no way of knowing it then, Oh’s inspirational story took a dramatic turn in 1958 when he was accepted for an internship in the U.S. Through determination, hard work, an impressive list of mentors, and strong collaborations, he began what would become a highly distinguished career in academic medicine that would continue for >50 years.

He noted that in the beginning there were large gaps of knowledge. He explained, “So much was unknown. In everything you did, you tried to ask the questions, ‘How and why does it work?’”

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Author notes

  1. This article includes personal interviews done with Dr. Oh in July 2013 and July 2015.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CNR Communications, Brentwood, TN, 37027, USA

    Corey Nason Reese

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA

    Jeff Reese

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Correspondence to Jeff Reese.

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Reese, C.N., Reese, J. Reflections on the early years of neonatology. William Oh: neonatal pioneer devoted his career to groundbreaking research, expanding patient care, and mentoring others. J Perinatol 39, 18–27 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-018-0268-7

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