Hoover Adger Jr., MD, MPH, MBA, Professor of Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine Section Chief, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
At its core, the practice of medicine is a humanistic pursuit — a pursuit at which Dr. Hoover Adger excels, exuding compassion in his practice, research, and teaching.
A professor of pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine (JHUSOM), Dr. Adger has focused his research, medical practice, and educational efforts on adolescent health and substance use disorders. In employing a patient-centered, family-first approach, Dr. Adger transforms the lives of his patients while modeling humanistic care for his students.
“Whether with adolescents struggling from addiction or with medical students discovering their paths, Dr. Adger’s ability to deeply connect with others and elevate them has demonstrated the true meaning of humanism in medicine,” says student James Senter.
Dr. Adger is a sought-after mentor for many students and junior faculty, due in large part to his listening skills and ability to thoughtfully guide the individual in finding the path that best suits them. One student noted that Dr. Adger frequently demonstrates respect for others by leveraging silence, making space for patients and students to share their stories.
Collaboration is equally important to Dr. Adger’s humanistic approach to medicine. He partners with adolescents and their families to address issues early on and avoid future addiction-related health problems. He also looks to junior learners for their insights and works to advance their interests in learning more about how to effectively support vulnerable populations. For example, he has helped learners integrate an understanding of spirituality into the curriculum and encouraged students learn firsthand by connecting them with community leaders.
Dr. Adger is also nationally recognized for his clinical expertise and commitment to the next generation. He codirected a federally funded strategic planning initiative to advise the government and other institutions in training health professionals to address substance use disorders (1999-2005) and served as deputy director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (1997-1998). He is past president of the Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse and the National Association for Children of Addiction. He has received the Ackerman-Black Award for Recognition of Lifetime Work Devoted to Children of Alcoholics and Substance Abusing Parents and the Richard B. Heyman Award for Community Leadership from the Section on Adolescent Health of the American Academy of Pediatrics. In 2013, he received the Professors’ Award for Excellence in Teaching Clinical Sciences from JHUSOM.
Dr. Adger earned his MD from Case Western Reserve University and completed a pediatrics residency at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. He completed an adolescent medicine fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco and earned his MPH and MBA from Johns Hopkins.
Learn more about the Arnold P. Gold Foundation Humanism in Medicine Award