Victor Garcia, MD, wins Founder's Award
Victor Garcia, MD, professor of pediatric surgery and founding director of Trauma Services at Cincinnati Children’s, will receive the Founder’s Award at the Cincinnati Pediatric Society’s annual Fall Dinner on November 17.
Garcia, who joined Cincinnati Children’s in 1991 after a long, successful military career, has worked tirelessly to “bring health, peace and prosperity to children of all species for all generations,”—a statement that serves as his personal and professional mantra. He’s done this not only in his role as a pediatric surgeon, helping to establish the country’s first pediatric weight-loss surgery center, but also as a social activist.
“When I first came to Cincinnati Children’s, I looked at the data showing that minority children were disproportionately being injured and killed,” he explained. “That led to the development of the African-American Injury Prevention Initiative that went on to become the Buckle Up for Life program, which is now operating in 20-30 cities nationwide.”
It wasn’t an easy sell, Garcia recalled.
“At that time, the black community was somewhat distrustful of the medical center,” he said. “We had to go to the local church ministers and convince them that their responsibility was not just for the souls of the people in their congregations, but also their bodies. If they didn’t do something about the high rate of injury to their youngest members, the ability to fill the pews was going to rapidly diminish. Once they were on board, the program became very successful.”
Tackling intentional injury
During his tenure as director of Trauma Services, Garcia saw a 300-percent increase in the number of children coming into the ED with gunshot wounds. That appalling statistic led him to take a deeper look at the underlying cause and apply systems-thinking to find a solution.
He helped pioneer the Cincinnati Initiative to Reduce Violence (CIRV) and founded CoreChange, a non-profit dedicated to addressing social determinants of health, which include poverty, segregation, substandard housing, domestic violence, substance abuse, and even climate change.
“Homicide is the leading cause of death for African-American adolescents,” Garcia said. “Child abuse is the leading cause of death for children under 1 year of age. All of this is preventable. We as a society can do a better job of applying science as evidence to inform public policy. The social determinants of health are more powerful than any virus or infection. Depending on what neighborhood you live in, your life expectancy can be shortened by 10 years.”
Called to action
Garcia, himself, spent the early years of his life in Spanish Harlem, a poor and violent neighborhood. His parents, who had emigrated from Puerto Rico, were determined to give him and his siblings a good education. “Knowledge is power, and they can’t take that away from you,” his father frequently said.
Garcia was the first in his family to graduate from high school and go to college—the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He earned a bachelor of science degree in engineering there, then got his MD at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. He studied pediatric surgery at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia under former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, MD.
“My education at West Point was not about the three Rs,” said Garcia. “It was about personal development, mission, purpose, duty to our country and being a leader, not only during wartime but in times of peace. The experience molded me and influenced me greatly.”
Looking at his career trajectory, it’s obvious that Garcia’s education prepared him well to take on what he calls complex, wicked challenges. His work at Cincinnati Children’s and in the community is his passion, or more accurately, he said, his obsession.
Running out of time
“The data show that things are getting worse in terms of health disparities,” he said. “The heroin epidemic is rampant. We’re seeing this incredibly tragic increase in adolescents committing suicide. Climate change is a very real phenomenon, and it disproportionately affects the poor, especially the children and the elderly. I find myself thinking I need to do more, particularly because I know something can be done.”
Garcia cites the McKinsey Report that estimates 325 million jobs will be disappearing by 2030—a mere 10 years from now. “Those who are underemployed or unemployed will be the most afflicted by this,” he said. “But these are opportunities for us. We need to think differently and not have our heads in the sand.”
Garcia sees the many honors he has received over the years—Great Living Cincinnatian (Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber); Healthcare Hero Lifetime Achievement Award (Business Courier); National Jefferson Award for Outstanding Service; Distinguished Graduate (West Point); and the Founder’s Award, among others—as an affirmation of the work he is doing and as inspiration to keep going.
“I feel a sense of urgency because the change is happening faster than people realize,” he said. “No individual person can do this alone. Through the use of science, through collaboration and love, we can bring about the kinds of changes that will not only save us as a society but our planet, as well. I hope people will be inspired to join me.”
