About
Editor-in-Chief and Healthcare-Provider Wellness Subject Matter Expert/Speaker
Elaine L. Pico, MD, MA, FAAP, FAAPM&R, is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine.
Dr. Pico has lectured nationally and internationally on mucopolysaccharidosis, spina bifida, cerebral palsy, and Rett Syndrome with recognized expertise also reflected in her authorship (and co-authorship) of chapters in the widely used Pediatric Rehabilitation Principles and Practice textbook.
She has become a subject matter expert (SME) in the realms of physician wellness, moral injury, and physician suicide spurred largely by the 2017 death of a colleague, close friend, and leader in the field of Pediatric Rehabilitation. The constellation of circumstances and the dismaying national metrics inspired her to learn and share more to help proactively translate evidence into identification of resources and policy for the good of the medical community, individuals we serve, and those close to us. Dr. Pico is available as a speaker and/or panel participant on these subjects on a national basis.
Dr. Pico was the keynote speaker for the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) Annual Assembly in November 2019 on the subject Physicians in All of Their Complexity: Strengths, Stressors, Wellness, and Suicide, and is also available to speak to hospital/health-system staff and teams
Her work has a broad scope, providing her with robust exposure to evidence-based medicine and management of chronic disorders and injury. She provides clinical care at the nationally recognized University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland—and this, plus her research as co-principal investigator of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Rett Syndrome MECP2 Duplication Disorder and Rett-Related Disorders Natural History Protocol, are exceptionally rewarding.
She has been broadly published on such topics as the effect of low-magnitude mechanical stimulation on bone density in patients with Rett syndrome and participated in the Committee for Science and Publications, where she served as a peer reviewer for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National Spina Bifida Registry (NSBR) research manuscripts.
Dr. Pico earned a Master’s degree in Child Life Education from Mills College and a Doctorate in Medicine from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and completed residencies in Pediatrics and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Mayo Clinic. She is board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and American Board of Pediatrics and holds specialty certification in Pediatric Rehabilitation.
She may be contacted at (510) 601-PICO [7426] or via email.