Aditee Narayan appointed vice dean at Duke School of Medicine

Indian American professor’s “visionary leadership and innovative approaches have significantly advanced the School of Medicine’s health professions educational programs”

By Arun Kumar

Aditee Narayan, an Indian American professor of Pediatrics at Duke University School of Medicine has been appointed as the new Vice Dean for Education from Jan 1.

“Dr. Narayan brings nearly 20 years of exemplary experience in medical education, both at Duke and on a national level,” Mary E. Klotman, Executive Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, Duke University School of Medicine,” wrote in a staff memo announcing her appointment. “Her visionary leadership and innovative approaches have significantly advanced our health professions educational programs.”

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“Dr. Narayan’s passion for interdisciplinary, patient-centered health care education, her expertise in change management, her commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, and her pioneering use of artificial intelligence in education will be invaluable as we continue to be trailblazers of medical education,” she wrote. “Her collaborative approach to her work will foster deeper partnerships across Duke’s health education programs and beyond.”

In her new role, Dr. Narayan oversees a comprehensive portfolio for the education of health professions students, including career enhancement programs and various master’s degree programs, according to a media release.

She directs all activities within medical education, from admissions to educational experiences. This position promotes all of the health education programs at the school, ensuring they continue to meet the highest standards of quality. Dr. Narayan leads these programs and their impact on health care by fostering innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to equity, which are essential to upholding excellence.

Earlier, as the associate dean for curricular affairs, she led the recent LCME accreditation review and transformation of the Doctor of Medicine curriculum into the Patient FIRST curriculum, which integrates biomedical sciences with clinical training and addresses social and structural drivers of health. This curriculum has set a new standard for medical education, preparing students to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities.

Dr. Narayan received her MPH degree from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1999 and her MD degree from Duke University in 2000. She completed her Pediatric residency, chief resident year, and Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship in Duke’s Department of Pediatrics before joining the faculty in 2006.

She has served in educational leadership roles across the continuum, including Associate Program Director for the Duke Pediatric Residency Training Program, founding Director of the Child Abuse Pediatrics Fellowship, Director of Pediatric Undergraduate Medical Education, and Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs. Her academic interests focus on workforce development in child abuse pediatrics, developing a nationally recognized training toolkit to elevate the role of advanced practice providers in the field. She leads a national effort to develop a more inclusive child abuse pediatrics workforce.

Dr. Narayan has held numerous national roles in multiple organizations including the National Board of Medical Examiners, the Association of Pediatric Program Directors, and the Helfer Society. She serves as a survey team member for the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

In 2016, she was awarded the Robert S. Holm Award, a national leadership and mentorship recognition by her peers, in 2020 was a recipient of the Duke University School of Medicine Master Clinician/Teacher Award and in 2022 was a recipient of the Duke University School of Medicine Excellence in Professionalism Award. She was elected to the American Pediatric Society in 2025 and completed the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (ELAM) fellowship in 2024.