In Memoriam

Remembering Dr. Bill Edwards

William “Bill” Edwards, MD, RES ’77, FEL ’78, neonatologist and emeritus professor of pediatrics at the Geisel School of Medicine, passed away in December 2022 at age 73. He was a hugely influential neonatologist, helping to establish a standard of family-centered care at the Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (CHaD).

Edwards completed his residency in pediatrics at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) and trained in neonatology at DHMC and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He spent his professional career at Dartmouth Health Children’s, returning to DHMC in 1979 as the medical director of Nursery Services and the Intensive Care Nursery. He served as chief of Neonatology from 1998 until 2015 and became vice chair of the Department of Pediatrics in 2001, where he served as the conscience of the department, providing trusted, wise counsel to trainees, colleagues, and institutional leadership.

An exceptionally compassionate physician and rigorous investigator, Edwards worked tirelessly to improve quality and evidenced-based care at Dartmouth Health Children’s and to establish a practice of involving parents in the care of their newborns. As part of his advocacy for family-centered care, Edwards became a founder and longtime director of the Vermont Oxford Network (VON), one of the leading neonatal quality improvement collaboratives in the world.

Edwards taught and mentored generations of Geisel students, CHaD residents, fellows, and junior faculty, and he continued to do so as active emeritus faculty. “Bill was a wonderful physician and leader,” says George Little, MD, emeritus professor and chair of Maternal Child Health and the founder of CHaD. “His sudden departure devastated not only fellow physicians, but also the nurses, hospital staff, and the entire institution.”