Heather Prendergast, MD
Professor
Associate Head for Research
Department of Emergency Medicine
About
Dr. Prendergast is a physician-scientist and leader recognized for developing high-quality medical programs and creating strategic alliances while fostering positive hospital, physician, and community relationships. She has successfully increased engagement through effective retention strategies that focus on developing and mentoring staff, faculty, and students.
As a physician-scientist, Dr. Prendergast’s passion and focus have been on minority health, particularly for individuals seeking care within the emergency department and community engagement. Her research has been well funded; most notably, she has received continuous funding since 2007. She currently serves as the Principal Investigator for the 1st Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) funded by NHLBI focused on addressing asymptomatic undiagnosed/uncontrolled hypertension in a predominate minority population being discharged from the emergency department.
As a physician-leader, Dr. Prendergast led the efforts to establish the 1st off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic (2020). She also spearheaded the submission to the Illinois Department of Health & Family Services (HFS) for the Inaugural Healthcare Transformation Initiatives Collaborative on behalf of the University of Illinois Physicians Group, with a subsequent award of 17.2 million dollars. This award established the 55th and Pulaski Health Care Collaborative, the 2nd off-site University of Illinois Multispecialty Ambulatory Clinic (2022).
Dr. Prendergast has received several awards, including the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Healthcare Leadership (2022), the National Medical Association (NMA) Distinguished Service Award (2021), the University of Illinois University Scholar Award (2021), the Chancellor’s Committee on the Status of Blacks-Black History Maker Award (2021), the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP)/Vituity Dr. Wes Curry Award for Executive Leadership in Academic Medicine (2020), and the Chicago Defender Women of Excellence Award (2018).
She received an MD degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, and completed a Residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Maryland Hospital in Baltimore, MD. She received her Masters in Public Health, Master in Clinical & Translational Science, and Masters in Healthcare Administration from the University of Illinois School of Public Health.