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Maria (Ferris) Diaz-Gonzalez Ferris, MD, Pediatrics, Chapel Hill, NC, University of North Carolina Hospitals

MariaE(Ferris)Diaz-Gonzalez FerrisMDMPH, PhD

Pediatrics • Chapel Hill, NC

Pediatric Nephrology

Professor, UNC at Chapel Hill School of Medicine

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Summary

  • I am a pediatrician who works the Transition, Complex Care and Diagnostic Clinics at UNC and have training in epidemiology and nephrology. I founded and direct the UNC Self-management and Transition to adulthood with Rx=treatment (STARx) Program. The nearly 2000 adolescents and young adults with chronic health conditions, their parents, and our interdisciplinary volunteer team, have developed tools to measure and monitor the process of HCT, such as: the patient/parent versions of (1) The STARx Questionnaire (a self-administered tool); (2) the UNC TRxANSITION Scale (a provider administered tool) and (3) The TRxANSITION Medical Passport.
    Our patient education curricula are (1) The Kidney Guru and (2) “A.L.L. Y.O.U. N.E.E.D. I.S. L.O.V.E.” These web-based tools are being validated in a number of programs across the USA, Mexico and Colombia.

    Our longitudinal registry is measuring predictors and outcomes of HCT such as literacy, treatment adherence, mood, health services utilization, self-activation/self-direction and health-related quality of life. While our program started in nephrology, our tools and work cross several medical conditions. Our premise is that while the medical conditions and patients we serve are different, the vital skills for better health self-management and patient outcomes are the same.

    In 2009, I co-founded the International Health Care Transition Research Consortium (following our North Carolina statewide collaboration), to promote evidence-based, literacy-appropriate, and culturally sensitive HCT programs. This consortium has monthly webinars and semi-annual meetings.

Education & Training

  • University of Texas School of Public Health
    University of Texas School of Public HealthPh.D., Epidemiology, 2006
  • University of California (San Diego) Medical Center
    University of California (San Diego) Medical CenterFellowship, Pediatric Nephrology, 1988 - 1991
  • Driscoll Children's Hospital/Texas A&M College of Medicine
    Driscoll Children's Hospital/Texas A&M College of MedicineResidency, Pediatrics, 1985 - 1988
  • University of Texas School of Public Health
    University of Texas School of Public HealthM.P.H., Maternal Infant Health, 1986
  • Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
    Universidad Nacional Autonoma de MexicoClass of 1983, MD
  • National Autonomous University of Mexico
    National Autonomous University of MexicoNo degree, Social Medicine, 1983
  • United States Embassy
    United States EmbassyNo degree, English Language, 1976 - 1979
  • UTSPH
    UTSPHMPH, Maternal child health
  • UTSPH
    UTSPHPhD, Epidemiology

Certifications & Licensure

  • CA State Medical License
    CA State Medical License 1989 - Present
  • NC State Medical License
    NC State Medical License 2000 - 2024
  • TX State Medical License
    TX State Medical License 1988 - 2003
  • American Board of Pediatrics Pediatrics

Awards, Honors, & Recognition

  • Research Mentor of the year UNC at Chapel Hill, 2019
  • Faculty Clinician of the Year Walter Tunnessen Award UNC Pediatrics Department, 2015-2016
  • Research Mentor UNC Academy of Educators, 2011
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Publications & Presentations

PubMed

Journal Articles

  • Self-Management and Transition to Adult Health Care in Adolescents/Young Adults: A Team Process  
    Mahan J, Betz C, Okumura M and Ferris M, Pediatr Rev, 1/1/2017
  • Lack of Knowledge and Low Readiness for Healthcare Transition in Eosinophilic Esophagitis and Eosinophilic Gastroenteritis  
    Eluri S, Book WM, Kodroff E, Strobel MJ, Gebhart JH, Jones PD, Menard-Katcher P, Ferris ME, Dellon ES, Pediatr Gastroenterol Nutr, 1/1/2017
  • Global Pediatric Nephrology Workforce: A Survey of International Pediatric Nephrology Association Members  
    Glenn D, Ocegueda S, Nazareth M, Zhong Y, Weinstein A, Primack W, Ferris M, Pediatric Nephrology BMC Nephrol, 1/15/2016
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Books/Book Chapters

  • Nefrologia Pediatrica 
    Chapter: Adolescentes y Adultos Jovenes con Enfermedad Renal Cronica: Automanejo y Transicion a los Cuidados Enfocados al Adulto 
    Adragna M, Medeiros M, Diaz-Gonzalez de Ferris MEEditors: Medeiros M and Cano R.2018
  • Health Care Transition. Building a Program for Adolescents and Young Adults with Chronic Illness and Disability 
    Chapter: Defining Successful Transition: Pediatric Provider Perspective 
    Fair C., Rupp S., Hart L.C., Alvarez-Elias A.C., Perry M., Ferris M.Editors: Hergenroeder A., Wiemann C..Springer, Inc.2018
  • Transition from Pediatric to Adult Medical Care 
    Chapter: The Self-management and Transition to Adulthood Program at the University of North Carolina: Lessons learned 
    Page 298 - 310Ferris ME, Ferris MT, Viall C, Stewart HD, Fenton N, Haberman C, Iglesia EA, Hancock LE, Harward DH, Gilleskie D, O�Neill J, Imperial R, Ko, Z, Benton MH, Doan M, Bick...Editors: D Wood, JG Reiss, ME Ferris.Nova Science Publishers2012
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Abstracts/Posters

  • Sex-Specific Differences associated with Sociocultural Attributes in Dialysis Patients: A National Cohort Analysis
    Rosen S, Ferris ME, Eneanya N, Van Zandt C, Preciado P, Larkin J, Usvyat L, Maddux F, Maddux D, Reviriego-Mendoza M, American Society of Nephrology, San Diego, CA, 1/1/2018
  • Association of creatinine levels and hypertension in an international cross-sectional database of pediatric patients on chronic hemodialysis: The PICCOLO MONDO Initiative
    Ricardo Guerrero-Kanan, Alice Topping, Ana Catalina Alvarez- Elias, Mara Medeiros, Jochen Raimann, Peter Kotanko, and Maria Ferris on behalf of the MONDO Consortium, IPNA Epi Meeting, Madrid, Spain, 1/1/2017
  • Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Treatment Burden and Quality of Life CKiD Cohort Pediatric Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Treatment Burden and Quality of Life in ...
    Ferris M Furth S, Warady B, McDermott K, Pierce C and Hopper S, American Society of Nephrology, 1/1/2014
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Lectures

  • Lessons from the field on Healthcare Transition in youth with CKD 
    Dominican Republic - 1/1/2018
  • Transition in Pediatric Nephrology Patients 
    Mexico City, Mexico - 1/1/2018
  • Pediatric Grand Rounds on Healthcare transition tools 
    US Armed forces Medical School - 1/1/2018
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Other Languages

  • Spanish

Hospital Affiliations

External Links

Dr. Maria Diaz-Gonzalez Ferris, Dr. Maria Diaz-Gonzalez Ferris, MD, Dr. M Diaz-Gonzalez Ferris, Dr. Maria E Diaz-Gonzalez Ferris