Bio
Peter Acker is a Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Dr. Acker holds an MD and an MPH from the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He completed his emergency medicine training at the University of Chicago, where he served as chief resident. He completed a fellowship in International Emergency Medicine at Stanford University. He currently holds the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine and was named a Faculty Fellow with the Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Dr. Acker’s academic work in global health has focused on strengthening health systems, particularly emergency referral systems, to increase access to emergency care for vulnerable populations, including mothers and newborns. From July 2015 to July 2016, Dr. Acker played the role of Long Term Technical Advisor for the USAID funded Quality Health Services Project in Cambodia. As part of this role he lived and worked in country, helping design and implement efficient and effective triage and emergency referral systems throughout nine Cambodian provinces. He has also worked extensively with the GVK EMRI ambulance service in India, currently the world’s largest prehospital care system, and the Nepal Ambulance Service to increase the quality and reach of prehospital care and effective emergency referral systems in both of these regions.
Clinical Focus
- Emergency Medicine
- Global Health
- International Emergency Medicine
- Health System Strengthening
- Maternal and Obstetric Emergencies
- Medical Education
- Prehospital Emergency Care
- Emergency Ultrasonography
Administrative Appointments
-
Faculty Senator, Stanford University School of Medicine (2019 - Present)
-
Faculty Fellow, Center for Innovation in Global Health (CIGH) at Stanford University School of Medicine (2015 - Present)
-
Co-Clerkship Director, EMED 313 Emergency Medicine Student Clerkship (2017 - 2018)
Honors & Awards
-
Humanitarian Award, American College of Emergency Physicians - California Chapter (2019)
-
Outstanding Interdepartmental Faculty Professor, Resident Staff of the Stanford Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology (2017-2018)
-
Stanford Emergency Medicine Residency Faculty of the Year, Honorable Mention, Stanford Emergency Medicine Residency (2014-2015)
-
Chief Resident, Emergency Medicine, University of Chicago Emergency Medicine Residency (2012-2013)
-
Emergency Medicine Ambassador Award, University of Chicago Emergency Medicine Residency (2012-2013)
-
PGY-3 Resident of the Year, University of Chicago Emergency Medicine Residency (2012-2013)
-
Professionalism in Emergency Medicine Award, University of Chicago Emergency Medicine Residency (2012-2013)
-
PGY-2 Resident of the Year, University of Chicago Emergency Medicine Residency (2011-2012)
Boards, Advisory Committees, Professional Organizations
-
Member, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Rural Obstetric Readiness Workgroup (2020 - Present)
-
Member, USAID Healthcare Seeking Behaviors and Referrals Community of Practice (2019 - Present)
-
Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians (2017 - Present)
-
Deputy Ambassador to Cambodia, American College of Emergency Physicians (2015 - Present)
-
Technical Advisor for Emergency Medicine and Referrals, USAID Quality Health Services Project-Cambodia (2014 - 2019)
-
Member, American College of Emergency Physicians (2010 - Present)
-
Member, Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (2010 - Present)
Professional Education
-
Medical Education: Tufts University School of Medicine (2010) MA
-
Masters in Public Health, Tufts University School of Medicine, Public Health and Global Health (2010)
-
Residency: University of Chicago Medical Center Internal Medicine Residency (2013) IL
-
Fellowship, Stanford University School of Medicine, International Emergency Medicine (2014)
-
Board Certification: American Board of Emergency Medicine, Emergency Medicine (2014)
Community and International Work
-
Digital Medic Emergency Medicine Content Development, India, South Africa, Philippines, Rwanda and others
Populations Served
Medical Students
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Yes
-
Medical student curriculum development in Emergency Medicine, Uganda
Partnering Organization(s)
Makerere University
Populations Served
Medical Students
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Yes
-
Prehospital Care Guideline Development and Dissemination, Nepal
Partnering Organization(s)
Nepal Ambulance Service
Populations Served
Urban and Rural Nepalis suffering from emergency conditions
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Yes
-
Prehospital Care Provide Mobile Application Decision Aid Creation, Nepal
Topic
Pre-hospital care in resource limited settings
Partnering Organization(s)
Nepal Ambulance Service
Populations Served
Emergently ill and injured Nepalese
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Yes
-
Emergency Medicine Education and Development, Myanmar
Topic
Assessing baseline EM knowledge and designing educational internvetions
Populations Served
All levels of healthcare professionals
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No
-
2014 Nepal Ambulance Service EMT Refresher Training, Nepal
Topic
Critical EMT refresher course
Partnering Organization(s)
Nepal Ambulance Service
Populations Served
EMT's
Location
International
Ongoing Project
No
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No
-
2014 VPOL Course: Managing Emergencies: What Every Doctor Needs to Know, Uganda
Topic
Online emergency medicine skills course
Partnering Organization(s)
Makerere University
Populations Served
Medical Students
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Yes
-
2013-2016 Stanford Essential Prehospital Care Course, India
Topic
EMT refresher training courses
Partnering Organization(s)
GVK-EMRI
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
Yes
-
2014-2019 USAID Quality Health Services Project, Cambodia
Topic
Improving access to emergency care services
Partnering Organization(s)
URC, MTI
Location
International
Ongoing Project
Yes
Opportunities for Student Involvement
No