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- Fellowship Program, Sports Medicine, Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital, Albany, GA (2008)
- Residency Program, Pediatrics, Children's National Hospital, Washington, DC (2003)
- M.D., Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA (2000)
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Nailah Coleman, M.D., F.A.A.P., F.A.C.S.M., is a primary care sports medicine attending at Children’s National Hospital. She completed her undergraduate studies at Emory University, receiving a bachelor’s degree biology with a double major in international studies and a minor in italian. Upon receipt of a second Emory full tuition scholarship for medical school, she remained at Emory University and received her medical degree in 2000. She completed a pediatric residency program at Children’s National in Washington, D.C. in 2003.
Following residency, Dr. Coleman remained at Children’s National as a physician analyst with the Information Technology Department. She also worked as a hospitalist for incoming patients, a practicing physician in the Children’s Health Clinic and as an on-call neonatal pediatrician at The George Washington University Medical Center. As a pediatrician working in four different hospital environments, Dr. Coleman had the opportunity to see children at different life stages and assess their growth and wellness. She observed a need to improve the physical health of the athletic and the non-athletic student during their various developmental stages. She believes that athletic performance, nutrition and physical health plans should be developed and tracked for all students, starting in primary school and continuing through college. Sports medicine should include the athlete and the non-athlete.
With these ideas in mind, Dr. Coleman moved to Georgia and Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital to complete a one-year fellowship in primary care sports medicine, before returning to Children’s National in her current capacity, where she now works as a general pediatrician and a sports medicine specialist. Dr. Coleman’s interest in research and quality improvement stems from a lifelong habit of process and systems improvement, resulting in an interest in a variety of current and classic management books and articles, including The Goal by Eli Goldratt; taking online courses, including Operations Management by the Wharton School on Coursera; and applying her lessons learned in her individual life and work and with colleagues in a clinical and educational setting. Dr. Coleman’s interest in research and quality improvement has also extended to the expanding field of diversity, equity, inclusion and justice, in general, and in the evaluation of barriers to sports and athletics participation and medical care. Dr. Coleman is a board-certified pediatrician and sports medicine physician, licensed in Washington, D.C., Virginia, Maryland and Georgia, and a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Medical Society of Sports Medicine. She also provides medical coverage and sports medicine information to local schools and various athletic events in the D.C. area.