Alumni Craig W. Anderson, MD

Many of Craig W. Anderson, MD, childhood memories revolved around the fact that his father, Homer Anderson, MD, was a well-known pediatrician in Columbus who was in private practice (with Robert Batterson, MD) and was also very active at Columbus Children's Hospital from the 1960s to the early 2000s. He says, "My parents used to entertain OSU medical students in our home monthly for dinners, and my father would take me to the hospitals on rounds with him on the weekends. In the evenings, it was not uncommon for us to do house calls and end up at the Dairy Queen on 5th Avenue for our favorite - hot fudge sundaes."

Dr. Anderson attended Muskingum University in New Concord, OH, and earned his undergraduate degree in biology. While attending Muskingum University, he enjoyed playing tennis and soccer on the men's teams. Dr. Anderson was also inducted into the Biology Honorary Society (Beta Beta Beta).

After completing undergraduate work, Dr. Anderson completed his medical degree at The Ohio State University School of Medicine and residency at Columbus Children's Hospital from 1976-1978. As a trainee, Dr. Anderson recalls he had the opportunity during his two-month rotation to work with Dr. Art James (who subsequently had The James at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center named in his honor). However, it was during his two-week senior elective rotation in the Children's Hospital Neonatal ICU that Dr. Anderson quickly realized that neonatology was what he wanted to do for the rest of his career. He says, "I recall Dr. Ron Gregoire and Dr. Jo Craenan as making a lasting impression on me, both of whom became close professional colleagues over the following years."

Following the completion of his neonatology fellowship in 1980, Dr. Anderson says, "I was offered a position at OSU to join my mentor and soon-to-be close friend, Dr. Leandro Cordero. Our two years together are one of the highlights of my career." During his time in academic medicine, Dr. Anderson was awarded Teacher of the Year by the residents of Children's Hospital and published articles and book chapters (along with his colleagues Drs. Cordero and Fred Zuspan).

After two years at The Ohio State University, Dr. Anderson decided to move to private practice at Grant Hospital to develop their neonatology program. He says, "I attended high-risk deliveries as requested by the OBs and perinatologists with Grant, Children's and OSU Hospital. After six years of being on call 24/7, I began hiring additional neonatologists to help provide coverage as we added Mount Carmel Hospital to our coverage."

In 1987, Dr. Anderson teamed up with Ruth Budd, who he describes as a superb neonatal nurse practitioner, to develop the first NNP program in Columbus located at Grant Medical Center. He says, "The program was a huge success as we trained NNPs for Grant, as well as the other hospital units. This concept, having NNPs as first-line providers for neonatal hospital care became the model for the city over the next decade."

Dr. Anderson recalls another successful venture during his career was the development of the Mothers Milk Bank of Ohio. He says, "As the medical leader and director, I teamed up with a lactation specialist Georgia Morrow, RN, who steered the path for the development and future success of the human donor milk bank that remains today the Ohio Health Mother's Milk Bank."

Dr. Anderson's practice continued to grow with the formation of Central Ohio Newborn Medicine. This practice provided physician coverage at Grant Medical Center, Mount Carmel Medical Center, Nationwide Children's, Marion General and Berger Medical Center (Circleville). More recently, the group was asked to provide coverage at Doctor's Hospital, Mount Carmel East and this past year, Pickerington Medical Center (Ohio Health). Dr. Anderson says, "My career was made possible by all the support I received from the staff RNs, NNPs, obstetricians, pediatricians and fellow neonatologists at all the institutions."

Throughout Dr. Anderson's career, he's participated in many community activities and served in leadership roles, some of which include the Columbus Medical Association, Ohio State Medical Association, Ohio Delegation to the AMA, Mother's Milk Bank, Muskingum University Board of Trustees, Ohio Physicians Health Program, AMA Foundation and Ohio Medical Quality Foundation to name a few.

Dr. Anderson has also received numerous career awards and recognition, which include the March of Dimes Health Leadership Award, Mount Carmel Health Foundation Tom E. Lewis Philanthropy Award, Lifetime Achievement Award from Ohio State University College of Medicine and Business First Champions of Health Care Award.

Dr. Anderson says of his career as a physician and leader, "I had a wonderful and unbelievable career, doing exactly what I loved to do. I cannot thank the nursing staff, the fabulous NNPs, and fellow physician colleagues for all their support. And, of course, my family that put up with a lot of time away from them."