Shannon Dowler, MD, FAAFP, CPE
Chief Medical Officer, North Carolina Medicaid, NC Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Dowler joined NC DHHS as the Chief Medical Officer for North Carolina Medicaid in 2019. Her past experience with Medicaid includes chairing the Physician Advisory Group for Medicaid (an independent legislated non-profit whose sole purpose is advising Medicaid on clinical policy) for many years. In the COVID pandemic she led efforts across DHHS related to Telehealth and Health Equity with a focus on increasing testing and vaccinations in Historically Marginalized Populations. She was recently appointed Deputy CMO for NC DHHS for Health Access to continue to drive equity work across the state.
Dr. Dowler obtained her medical degree from East Carolina (Brody) School of Medicine and completed a Family Medicine Residency and Fellowship in Asheville at MAHEC. She has spent her career in the service of non-profits including: the local health department providing full spectrum care (OB without deliveries) as well as a long standing and ongoing role in the STD clinic, as CMO for a large FQHC in WNC, and prior to joining Medicaid, as Associate Chief Quality Officer and Chief of Community Medicine for a medium sized Health System, focused on integration of healthcare and reducing unnecessary care variation across a health system. She serves on the CDC HRSA Advisory Committee on HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STD Prevention and Treatment.
An avid educator and advocate for sexual health, Dr. Dowler speaks at the local, state and national level on STD prevention, diagnosis and treatment to both professional and lay audiences. Known by the moniker "RapDrD", she has produced two educational rap videos for lay audiences, the second (STDs Never Get Old) achieving brief international attention. On Valentines Day 2023 she will be publishing a lay audience book on STDs in the aging population.