Sarah Garwood, MD, professor of Pediatrics, has been appointed interim division chief of the Division of Adolescent Medicine for the Department of Pediatrics at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
Garwood obtained her medical degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia. Following internship and residency in Pediatrics at St. Louis Children’s Hospital, Garwood joined the Hospitalist Division in 2008 and the Division of Adolescent Medicine two years later. In 2008, Garwood became an associate program director for the pediatric residency program at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine. In her work with pediatric residents, she has directed a rotation on advocacy and community pediatrics and spearheaded the development of a statewide collaborative group for advocacy and resident education called MOCARE. Garwood has led the creation of a statewide Advocacy Track for pediatric trainees at all four residency programs in Missouri and continues to direct the track at St. Louis Children’s Hospital.
Garwood’s work through the Adolescent Center in the Department of Pediatrics focuses on the unique health care needs of adolescents, including the physical, cognitive, emotional and social changes that adolescents undergo, as well as the disease processes that occur during adolescence. Garwood has been on staff at the SPOT (Supporting Positive Opportunities with Teens), which is a one-stop, drop-in center for youth, providing testing for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases, health care and counseling, social support, prevention and case management services at no cost since its opening in 2008.
Garwood is the medical director for the SPOT at Jennings High School, the first school based health center in St. Louis County. She is on the executive committee of the Show Me School Based Health Alliance.
This comes as Katie Plax, MD, the Ferring Family Professor of Pediatrics, is retiring from WashU effective June 30, 2024, after 23 years of tireless service. Plax is an exceptional pediatrician and a stalwart in the St. Louis community. Her dedication to caring for disadvantaged children through teaching, advocacy, research and patient care is exceeded only by the size of her heart.