Shawna D. Nesbitt, MD, MS

Brief Bio

Shawna D. Nesbitt, MD, MS is a Professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas at Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, where she is the Medical Director of the Hypertension Clinic at Parkland Hospital. Dr. Nesbitt earned her medical degree at Hahnemann University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After an internship and residency in internal medicine at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, she underwent fellowship training in hypertension in the Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan. Additionally, Dr. Nesbitt earned a Master of Science in clinical research design and statistical analysis from the University of Michigan, School of Public Health. She is board certified in internal medicine, and she is a Fellow of the American Heart Association Council for High Blood Pressure Research and a Fellow of the American Society of Hypertension.  She is a certified Hypertension Specialist. In addition, she is an alumnus of the Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine program. She is an alumnus of Health Executive Diversity and Inclusion Certificate program.

She is a former President of ISHIB, (International Society of Hypertension in Blacks) and she is also a current Board member of the Southwest Affiliate and the National Scientific Advisory Committee of the American Heart Association, and the American Society for Hypertension.  She served as a member of the Clinical Trials Review Grant Study Section for NIH/NHLBI. She is currently a member of the Observational Study Review Board for The Jackson Heart Study sponsored by NIH, NHLBI.  Her research interest is in clinical trials in hypertension and cardiovascular prevention.  She has served as national leader in hypertension clinical trials with a special focus on prehypertension, hypertension in African Americans and healthcare disparities.  She is currently a site principal investigator for the ASPREE clinical trial.  Dr. Nesbitt is an active clinician, as well as, Medical Director of the Hypertension Clinic at Parkland Hospital. 

Dr. Nesbitt received the Women Who STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) Award in 2019 from the Dallas Chapter of The Links, Incorporated. She was also named a 2016, 2017, and 2018 D-Magazine Best Doctor. In 2023, she was honored with a Loehr Lifetime Achievement award by the American Heart Association and the Woven Health Healthy Lives Committee. In addition, in 2023, she was honored by the CV Roman Dallas Chapter of the National Medical Association for her efforts to increase the workforce of minority physicians with a scholarship in her name.

For eleven years, Dr. Nesbitt served as Associate Dean for Student Affairs in the Office of Student Diversity and Inclusion of the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. She led the team at the Medical School, Graduate School, and School of Health Professions that focused on efforts to recruit students from diverse backgrounds, and to create educational programming that supports an inclusive environment preparing students for careers in science and medicine.  She is active in guiding education for the medical school in cultural sensitivity and approaching diverse patients focused on creating equity in science and medicine.

As of October 1, 2022, after a national search, she was selected as the Inaugural Vice President and Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer at UT Southwestern. She currently serves as the inaugural Chief Institutional Opportunity Officer at UT Southwestern and as of 2024 she is the holder of the John C. Vanatta III Professorship in Medicine.