Profiles in Giving

Dr. Nancy Wade DMS '74: The Long and Winding Pathway from DMS

Dr. Nancy Wade

"My career has been like a long, winding pathway," observes Dr. Nancy Wade.

That pathway began at DMS and through the years has led to a remarkable career in pediatric immunology and public health. After starting her career as a pediatrician in private practice, Wade completed a fellowship in Allergy and Immunology and took a position with the Immunodeficiency Clinic at Albany Medical School. "That was right at the time we were becoming aware of HIV," Wade recalls. "Little did I know I was going to spend the next 15 years of my life taking care of children with HIV." This lead to a second residency in public health. During those 15 years, Wade dedicated herself to research clinical trials and work on public policy at Albany Medical College and the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) with the goal of reducing the transmission of HIV from mothers to babies. She also saw patients one day a week; mothers and babies whom Wade says "were--and are--some of the most noble people I've ever known."

Wade's research gained national attention when the New England Journal of Medicine published a key paper in which her research team at NYSDOH "demonstrated that if mothers with HIV were treated when they were in labor, or if the newborn was treated within 48 hours after birth, we could still decrease the transmission of HIV from mother to baby," Wade explains. This revelation, along with other emerging studies, led to major policy changes in New York state, and ultimately led to a rapid and dramatic decline in the number of children in the state who were born with HIV--reducing the numbers from many hundreds per year to less than 10 per year today. "And similar decreases happened nationwide," notes Wade. "It was quite exciting to be part of that."

In 2005, Wade, then a professor of pediatrics at Albany Medical College and Maternal and Child Health Director at NYSDOH, decided it was time to go back into private practice. Today, she is with a large allergy/immunology practice in Albany, where well over half of her patients are children. Her return to private practice has allowed Wade to also pursue interests outside of medicine, such as skiing with her husband of 28 years, learning to play the flute, doing agility classes with her Golden Retrievers, and participating in the Big Brothers/Big Sisters Program.

While Wade's career has indeed been like a winding pathway, there have been two constants on her journey: her love of caring for children, and her loyalty to her alma mater. Over the years, Wade has not only supported DMS through her participation in the DMS Almuni Council, but also through gifts to the Fund for DMS. "Dartmouth give me the opportunity to be a physician," notes Wade, who, as one of six children in her family, relied on financial assistance to pursue her dream of attending medical school. "I'm just happy to give back to Dartmouth a small part of what it has given to me."

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