Columbus, GA –  Joseph Zanga, M.D., FAAP, the new Chief of Pediatrics at The Medical Center, has been an advocate for children and their families his entire career.

A past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Zanga comes to Columbus Regional from the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C., where he was Catherine and Max Ray Joyner Distinguished Chair in Primary Care, director of the Office of Generalist Programs, a tenured professor in pediatrics, and an adjunct professor in the Office of Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Education.
 
“Children are our single largest minority group,” Dr. Zanga said. “They are the only minority group that cannot speak for themselves, cannot vote or hold office. They are the only minority group that cannot even petition the Courts “for redress of grievances.” Together, though, we adults can make life for children the best it can be in this area, this state and possibly the United States.”

“I have been very impressed since my arrival in Columbus at the outstanding caliber of the clinical team at The Medical Center and the support provided for the children of this community, by it and by the community itself,” he added.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Zanga on our staff and in the role of Chief of Pediatrics,” said Lance Duke, The Medical Center president and CEO and Columbus Regional executive vice president and COO.  “Dr. Zanga brings a unique range of skills and experiences that will be beneficial to our residency program, to the development of our Children’s Services, and most importantly to the children in our region.”

Dr. Zanga has written numerous books, chapters and articles on children’s issues such as obesity, sexual abuse, and immunizations, and has appeared on national television programs, including Good Morning America and CBS This Morning. He is a former pediatric columnist for Woman’s World magazine.

He is also a reviewer for the American Journal of Medical Genetics, Journal of Palliative Care, Journal of Medical Ethics, Ambulatory Pediatrics, and Pediatrics, all publications for the profession.

Dr. Zanga’s awards and honors are numerous, including a listing in Best Doctors in America, 2000-2008; Guide to America’s Top Pediatricians, 2004-2008; Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, 2002; the American Academy of Pediatrics, Section on School Health, Milton J.E. Senn Award, 2000; and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children Rainbow Award, 1999.

He serves on the Medical Advisory Board for the DiscoveryHealth.com Disease and Conditions Encyclopedia, DiscoveryHospital.com, and HealthTeacher.com. He is a member of the National Advisory Child Health and Human Development Council for the National Institutes of Health/National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in Bethesda, and the National Advisory Council of the National Center for Primary Care at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta.

Dr. Zanga received his B.S. in Biology from Fordham University and his medical degree from the Stritch School of Medicine at Loyola University. His pediatric internship was completed at the Loyola University Medical Center followed by residency at the Medical College of Virginia and a fellowship in ambulatory pediatrics at Strong Memorial Hospital of the University of Rochester in New York.

His past academic positions include Loyola University, Louisiana State University Medical Center, Tulane Medical School, and the Medical College of Virginia.

Dr. Zanga is married and has two adult children.