Atul Gawande
Born 1965 · Age 60
American surgeon, writer, public-health researcher, Harvard professor, founder of Ariadne Labs and Lifebox, former CEO of Haven, and former Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born in Brooklyn, New York
Atul Atmaram Gawande was born to Marathi Indian immigrant doctors in Brooklyn, New York.
Family moved to Athens, Ohio (approx.)
Family moved 'soon' after his birth to Athens, Ohio, where he and his sister grew up (estimated year).
Graduated Athens High School
Graduated from Athens High School in Athens, Ohio.
Volunteered for Gary Hart's presidential campaign
As an undergraduate, volunteered for Gary Hart's presidential campaign.
Graduated Stanford University (BA, BS)
Earned bachelor's degrees in biology and political science from Stanford University.
Worked on Al Gore's 1988 presidential campaign
After graduating Stanford, joined Al Gore's 1988 presidential campaign.
Rhodes Scholar – M.A. PPE from Balliol College, Oxford
Earned an M.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) as a Rhodes Scholar at Balliol College, Oxford.
Entered Harvard Medical School
Entered Harvard Medical School to pursue an MD.
Left medical school to join Bill Clinton's 1992 campaign
Left Harvard Medical School after two years to become Bill Clinton's healthcare lieutenant for the 1992 presidential campaign.
Senior advisor at Department of Health and Human Services
After Clinton's inauguration, served as a senior advisor in HHS and directed one of three committees of the Task Force on National Health Care Reform, supervising ~75 people and helping define benefits/subsidies.
Worked as health-care researcher for Rep. Jim Cooper (approx.)
Worked as a health-care researcher for Representative Jim Cooper on managed-competition health-care proposals (text references this work in the early 1990s).
Graduated Harvard Medical School (MD)
Completed Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at Harvard Medical School.
Medical residency begins at Brigham and Women's Hospital
Began general surgical residency training at the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital (residency later completed in 2003).
Became staff writer for The New Yorker
After early contributions, was made a staff writer for The New Yorker (first NYer pieces published around this time).
Published Slate article on late-term abortion debate
Published 'Partial Truths in the Partial-Birth-Abortion Debate' in Slate, discussing abortion policy and ethics.
Earned MPH from Harvard School of Public Health
Completed a Master of Public Health at the Harvard School of Public Health.
Published first New Yorker article 'Why Do Doctors Make Mistakes?' (approx.)
Early New Yorker pieces including 'Why Do Doctors Make Mistakes?' addressing medical errors and systems (published 1999).
Published first book 'Complications'
Published Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science (contains revised Slate and New Yorker articles).
National Book Award finalist for 'Complications'
Complications was a finalist for the National Book Award.
Completed general surgical residency
Completed general surgical residency training at Brigham and Women's Hospital (Harvard-affiliated).
Awarded MacArthur Fellowship
Named a MacArthur Fellow for work investigating and articulating modern surgical practices and medical ethics (MacArthur Fellowship stipend awarded).
Became director of WHO effort to reduce surgical deaths
Named director of the World Health Organization's effort to reduce surgical deaths.
Published 'Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance'
Released his second book, exploring diligence, doing right, and ingenuity in medicine (published April 2007).
WHO Surgical Safety Checklist published
Led the 'Safe surgery saves lives' WHO initiative; a surgical safety checklist was published (2008) to be used in operating theaters globally.
Published 'The Cost Conundrum' in The New Yorker
Published the influential New Yorker essay comparing health care in two Texas towns, highlighting drivers of high spending; widely cited in policy debates.
Received and donated $40,000 check from Charlie Munger
After his New Yorker article, Charlie Munger mailed checks ($20,000 then $40,000); Gawande returned the first and donated the $40,000 to Brigham and Women's Hospital Center for Surgery and Public Health.
Elected Hastings Center Fellow
Elected a Fellow of the Hastings Center, a bioethics research institute.
Named to Time 100 (Thinkers list) and Foreign Policy top global thinkers
Included in Time 100 (5th place in 'Thinkers') and listed by Foreign Policy among top global thinkers.
The Checklist Manifesto reaches NYT bestseller list (hardcover nonfiction)
The Checklist Manifesto (published 2009) reached the New York Times hardcover nonfiction bestseller list in 2010.
Founded Lifebox (charity) with Pauline Philip
Co-founded the Lifebox charity to provide training and equipment (e.g., pulse oximeters) for safer surgery globally. Chaired Lifebox from foundation in 2011 until 2022.
Elected to the American Philosophical Society
Elected as a member of the American Philosophical Society.
TED talk: 'How Do We Heal Medicine?'
Delivered TED talk drawing on his work and The Checklist Manifesto; widely viewed (2.3M+ views as of 2025).
Presented BBC Reith Lectures: 'The Future of Medicine'
Delivered a series of four Reith Lectures (Boston, London, Edinburgh, Delhi) on the future of medicine.
Won Lewis Thomas Prize for Writing about Science
Awarded the Lewis Thomas Prize for his writing about science.
Published 'Being Mortal'
Released Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End; it became a #1 New York Times bestseller.
PBS Frontline documentary based on 'Being Mortal' broadcast
Frontline broadcast a documentary based on Being Mortal.
Massachusetts Governor's Award in the Humanities
One of three recipients of the 2016 Massachusetts Governor's Award in the Humanities for contributions to civic life.
Executive producer: Being Mortal documentary (Emmy-nominated)
Served as executive producer for the Emmy-nominated documentary adaptation of Being Mortal (2016).
Spoke at NIH on Systems Science and Innovation in Health-Care Delivery
Conversation with NIH Director Francis Collins about systematizing healthcare delivery and innovations like checklists and central ICU monitoring (videocast available).
Transitioned at Ariadne Labs to chairman (approx.)
Transitioned from executive director/founder role to chairman of Ariadne Labs when taking the Haven CEO role (as reported around 2018).
Named CEO of Haven (Amazon/Berkshire/JPMorgan venture)
Appointed CEO of Haven, the joint healthcare venture of Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway, and JPMorgan Chase; based in Boston.
Ariadne Labs activity (ongoing leadership and research)
Continued association with Ariadne Labs as a founder/chair and contributed to health-systems innovation work (ongoing).
Stepped down as CEO of Haven; became executive chairman
Stepped down as CEO of Haven in May 2020 and remained as executive chairman while the organization sought a new CEO.
Named to Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board
Named as a member of President-elect Joe Biden's COVID-19 Advisory Board.
Haven announced it would cease operations (January 2021)
Haven announced it was to cease operations after three years; founding companies pursued their own projects separately.
Nominated by President Biden for USAID Assistant Administrator for Global Health
President Biden announced the nomination of Atul Gawande for Assistant Administrator of USAID's Bureau for Global Health.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings on nomination
Hearings held on Gawande's nomination to be Assistant Administrator of USAID for the Bureau of Global Health.
Senator Marco Rubio delayed committee vote citing past article
Florida Senator Marco Rubio publicly delayed Gawande's committee vote over Gawande's 1998 article defending particular methods of late-term abortion; political dispute noted.
Senate committee favorably reported nomination
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee favorably reported Gawande's nomination to the full Senate.
Confirmed by Senate as Assistant Administrator, USAID Bureau for Global Health
Confirmed by the full Senate on December 17, 2021 by a vote of 48–31 to serve as Assistant Administrator for Global Health at USAID.
Sworn in as Assistant Administrator for Global Health, USAID
Sworn in on January 4, 2022, to lead the Bureau for Global Health at USAID.
Stepped down as chair of Lifebox
Concluded his role as chair of Lifebox in January 2022 (chair from foundation in 2011 until 2022).
Awarded Honorary Doctor of Sciences by University of Pennsylvania
Received an Honorary Doctor of Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania commencement ceremony (May 2022).
Executive producer: 'To Kill A Tiger' (Oscar-nominated)
Listed as an executive producer for the Oscar-nominated documentary 'To Kill A Tiger' (2024).
Spoke at Harvard Alumni Day (image caption mentions 2025)
Documented as speaking at Harvard Alumni Day in 2025 (image caption in article).
Left USAID Assistant Administrator position
Left the Assistant Administrator, Bureau for Global Health post on January 20, 2025, coinciding with the change in presidential administration.
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