The National Academy of Medicine (NAM) has elected Emory University neurosurgeon and CNN correspondent Sanjay Gupta, MD, to join its esteemed 2019 class, which consists of 100 members. One of the highest honors in health and medicine, NAM membership recognizes individuals who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements and commitment to service.

Gupta is an associate professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine and associate chief of neurosurgery at Grady Memorial Hospital. In his role at CNN — where he has won multiple Emmy Awards as chief medical correspondent — Gupta covers important health stories in the United States and around the world.

“These newly elected members represent the most exceptional scholars and leaders whose remarkable work has advanced science, medicine and health in the U.S. and around the globe,” says Victor J. Dzau, president of NAM. “Their expertise will be vital to addressing today’s most pressing health and scientific challenges and informing the future of health and medicine for the benefit of us all.”

NAM members are elected by their peers from candidates nominated for their accomplishments and contributions to the advancement of the medical sciences, health care and public health. Emory currently has 32 members in the NAM.

Gupta plays an integral role in CNN’s reporting and, according to the NAM, is “helping the public understand the causes, impact and management of myriad medical and public health challenges, and bridging the gap of health care knowledge by redefining our public discourse.”

Demonstrating a broad range of expertise, Gupta has published on topics that include spinal surgery, craniofacial disorders, neurosurgical trauma, transplant immunology and battlefield injuries. He holds memberships in the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons and the Council on Foreign Relations. He was recently elected as an honorary member of the American Academy of Neurological Surgery.  A diplomate of the American Board of Neurosurgery, Gupta is a certified medical investigator through the American College of Forensic Examiners.

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and a doctorate of medicine from the University of Michigan Medical School, where he also completed his neurosurgical training.  During his residency, Gupta served as a White House Fellow.

“We are very proud of Sanjay’s contributions to the Department of Neurosurgery, our institution and community. In addition to his surgical skills and compassionate care of patients, he is a gifted communicator who has used those skills to provide medical education to the lay community around the world. This recognition by the IOM is well deserved,” says Daniel Barrow, the Pamela R. Rollins Professor and Chairman of Neurosurgery at Emory.