Joe Greer, MD Biography

Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Jr., a Cuban born in the United States by accident, had a vision that altered his life and the lives of thousands of Miami people. Until he met a homeless man suffering from TB in 1984, Dr. Greer only had a broad vision to rescue the world that was motivated by passion without any precise direction. Dr. Greer's life was forever transformed as a result of the meeting. Though there was nothing he could do for the homeless man's medical needs, he realized there was enough he could do to aid him through his final days. Dr. Greer had made a vow to never let someone die or suffer alone after his own sister died four years before. He spent four days seeking for the man's family, and while he was unsuccessful, the quest proved to be fateful when it brought him to Camillus House, a homeless refuge. Dr. Greer's idea of how he might better the lives of individuals in this neighborhood crystallized when he realized that America was not just the land of the free but also of the homeless and that many in his own backyard were too poor or uninformed to seek medical attention. He recognized the need for a clinic to serve Miami's destitute and homeless residents. Camillus Health Concern (CHC), as it is now called, was rapidly established, and he began convincing the destitute and homeless to come in for treatment. Dr. Greer, who characterizes himself as "young and dumb" at the time, risked his own safety by scouring the mudflats beneath bridges and roads to inform alcoholics, drug addicts, and other down-and-outers living in crates and boxes about his free clinic. Dr. Greer had no financial backing for his goal for the first four years he managed the clinic. Camillus House's registration office became an exam room, while the cafeteria became a waiting area. He depended on a full volunteer workforce to scrounge for furniture, supplies, and medications. However, in order for CHC to survive and develop, some financial assistance was required. He learned how to seek grants and obtain assistance from people in the medical field quickly. Almost 100 physicians currently serve the homeless and poor communities in Little Havana and South Miami Beach as a result of Dr. Greer's work. Dr. Greer also created the Saint John Bosco Clinic in 1991 in the back of the same-named church in Little Havana, where he presently serves as Medical Director, in response to the rising number of illegal immigrants in the Miami region. Dr. Greer, a gastroenterologist, and hepatologist is Assistant Dean for Homeless Education at the University of Miami School of Medicine and Chairman of Digestive Management at Mercy Hospital, where he and his father have a private practice. He is also the Medical Director of Mercy Mission Services and has served as an advisor to Presidents Clinton and Bush Sr. Dr. Greer has also leveraged his position as the University of Miami School of Medicine's first assistant dean of homeless education to further his vision for CHC. Waking Up in America: How One Doctor Brings Hope to Those Who Need It Most, Dr. Greer's autobiography, covers his early years as a physician, from caring for the homeless under bridges to counseling the Bush and Clinton administrations. He has been featured on ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX Family Channel, and has written over 25 articles and book chapters on topics ranging from digestive problems to policy and poverty in America. He has been on many talk shows and has presented segments for the PBS Travel Channel, HBO's documentary AMERICANOS, and the PBS/BBC series Medicine at the Crossroads. Dr. Greer earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Florida and his medical degree from La Universidad Catolica, Madre, and Maestra. He completed all postdoctoral studies at the University of Miami, where he was Chief Medical Resident and a fellow in Hepatology at the Center for Liver Diseases; a fellowship in Gastroenterology, earning two post-doctoral fellowships; and a member of the American Osteopathic Association Honors Medical Society. He is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Gastroenterology, as well as a recipient of many honorary doctorates. Dr. Greer has lectured at prestigious academic institutions such as Harvard, Emory, and the University of Florida, as well as other undergraduate institutions. He has also been the commencement speaker for the New York Medical College, the University of Miami, and the East Tennessee State Medical Schools, among others. Dr. Greer believes his biggest lessons still come from his poorest patients, even though he is a nationally renowned advocate, a member of prominent boards, and a frequent and lively presenter. He has demonstrated that one individual can inspire and create change in his community via his leadership and vision.

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