Nooshin Razani, MD (UCSF)

Pediatrician, Founder, director of the Center for Nature and Health, based at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland

Dr. Nooshin Razani is a pediatrician, researcher, and passionate advocate of the healing power of nature. She is the founder and director of the Center for Nature and Health, based at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland. The Center conducts original research related to nature and health, helps health care practitioners incorporate nature into their practice, and provides clinical care in nature. Dr. Razani is an attending physician at UCSF Beniofff Oakland’s Ambulatory Department and Assistant Clinical Scientist at Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI).

Dr. Razani attended medical school at University of California San Francisco, completed a pediatric residency at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland, and has a Masters in Public Health from the Harvard School of Public Health. Dr. Razani has conducted primary research on the clinical applications of nature; given presentations about nature and health across the U.S., and published peer reviewed articles about the topic.

 

OVERVIEW

In 2009, Dr. Razani partnered with the East Bay Regional Park District to refer patients to the outdoors as a clinical intervention. By 2013, the hospital’s primary care clinic and East Bay Regional Parks District and Foundation collaborated to create the hospital’s groundbreaking park prescription program. Now in its third year, the program has conducted more than 500 park visits and 32 outings to local parks for patients and families. Through this program, Dr. Razani has created validated protocols for physicians and health systems to integrate nature-based interventions into practice nationwide. Dr. Razani received the National Environmental Education Fund and US Fish and Wildlife Service Nature Champion Certification in 2010, and was awarded the Community Champion Award by California State Parks in 2015. From 2013-2014, Dr. Razani served as the Senior Health Fellow and Medical Consultant at the Institute at the Golden Gate where she played an important role in the development of the Healthy Parks, Healthy People Bay Area initiative.

 

PUBLICATIONS

  • Florence Williams. “This is your brain on nature.” National Geographic. January 2016. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2016/01/call-to-wild/
  • Advancing Nature as a Public Health Solution” on Your Call, KALW. January 10, 2016.
  • Andrea A. Firth. “Oakland Children’s Hospital Doctors Prescribe Parks.” Alameda Magazine. Published on-line September 12, 2016. http://www.alamedamagazine.com/Sept-2106/Oakland-Childrens-Hospital-Doctors-Prescribe-Parks/.
  • Frederick Riemers. “It’s Time for Doctors to Prescribe Outdoor Therapy.” Outside Magazine. October 24, 2016. https://www.outsideonline.com/2127271/time-for-doctors-prescribe-outdoor-therapy.
  • Advancing Nature as a Public Health Solution” on MtnMeister (2016).
  • Erin Allday. “Natural medicine: urban families explore benefits of the outdoors.” San Francisco Chronicle, April 10, 2017. http://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/Natural-medicine-Urban-families-explore-benefits-11061730.php