Physician Profile: Neal Baer, M.D.

Dr. Neal Baer is this year’s recipient of PSR-LA’s Socially Responsible Medicine Award to be presented at PSR-LA’s Gala Dinner, October 26 at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

A true Renaissance man, Dr. Baer achieved graduate degrees in education and sociology from Harvard University and, in 1996, received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Baer’s primary medical interests are in adolescent health. He completed his internship in pediatrics at Los Angeles’ Children’s Hospital. He has written extensively for teens on health issues for “Scholastic Magazine,” covering such topics as teen pregnancy, AIDS, drug and alcohol abuse, and nutrition. He donates his time to Venice Family Clinic.

Dr. Baer serves on the boards of numerous organizations related to health care, including the Venice Family Clinic, RAND Health, Children Now, and the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS). He is also a trustee of the Writers Guild of America Health and Pension Fund, and a member of the Board of Associates at the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research.

This resume would be accomplishment enough . . . yet Dr. Baer is also a widely esteemed television producer and writer. Until October 2000, he was executive producer of “ER.” Dr. Baer was nominated for five Emmys for producing “ER,” and was nominated twice for his writing.

Today Dr. Baer is executive producer of the series “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” for which he produces and writes scripts. The show is a public health educator’s dream –- providing accurate and timely information regarding health and sexual abuse. The series chronicles the life and crimes of the elite Special Victims Unit of the New York Police Department. “Last season the series achieved the highest adult ratings for any Friday series on any network for the last four seasons.

Dr. Baer’s considerable accomplishments, philanthropic activities and strong political convictions make him a PSR member par excellence.