Akiva Turner

Dr. Akiva Turner is a prominent figure at Nova Southeastern University's Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences, where he serves as the Chair of the Health Science Department. With a robust academic background, Dr. Turner holds a Ph.D. in anthropology with a medical emphasis, an MPH from UCLA, and a law degree from Yeshiva University. His diverse educational qualifications have paved the way for a career that bridges public health, law, and anthropology. Throughout his career, Dr. Turner has occupied several key positions that highlight his commitment to public health and ethics. He has served as the Associate Director of Planning at AIDS Project Los Angeles, where he played a crucial role in strategizing and implementing health initiatives. Additionally, his tenure as the Communicable Disease Director of the Broward County Health Department underscores his expertise in managing public health crises and infectious diseases. Dr. Turner also held the position of Executive Director of the New York State Task Force on Life and the Law, where he contributed to shaping policies on complex ethical issues, particularly those concerning end-of-life care. His work in this area reflects his deep interest in the intersection of ethics, law, and health care. His research interests are wide-ranging and include infectious diseases, vaccine policies, Judaism and health, ethics, end-of-life care, and aging. Dr. Turner is actively involved in the academic community, serving on the editorial boards of several prestigious journals. His scholarly contributions are extensive, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals that have advanced the discourse in his fields of interest. In addition to his academic and professional endeavors, Dr. Turner is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of health care professionals. His leadership at NSU is marked by a commitment to fostering an environment of learning and innovation, preparing students to tackle the challenges of modern health care with a comprehensive and ethical approach.