Shannon Dowler, MD

Shannon Dowler, MD, FAAFP, CPE Chief Medical Officer Division of Health Benefits (North Carolina Medicaid) NC Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) 

Dr. Dowler joined NC DHHS as the Chief Medical Officer for North Carolina Medicaid in 2019. Her past experience with Medicaid includes chairing the Physician Advisory Group for Medicaid (an independent legislated non-profit whose sole purpose is advising Medicaid on clinical policy) for many years. In the COVID pandemic she has led efforts across DHHS related to Telehealth and Health Equity with a focus on increasing testing in Historically Marginalized Populations. 

Dr. Dowler obtained her medical degree from East Carolina (Brody) School of Medicine and completed a Family Medicine Residency and Fellowship in Asheville at MAHEC. She has spent her career in the service of non-profits including: the local health department providing full spectrum care (OB without deliveries) as well as a long standing role in the STD clinic, as CMO for a large FQHC in WNC, and most recently served as Associate Chief Quality Officer and Chief of Community Medicine for Mission Health System, focused on integration of healthcare and reducing unnecessary care variation across a health system. She is a Past President of the NC Academy of Family Physicians and has served on national commissions with the AAFP and ACOG. In 2017 she received her Certified Physician Executive degree from the American Academy of Physician Leaders. 

An avid educator and advocate for sexual health, Dr. Dowler speaks at the local, state and national level on STD prevention, diagnosis and treatment to both professional and lay audiences. Known by the moniker "RapDrD", she has produced two educational rap videos for lay audiences, the second (STDs Never Get Old) achieving brief international attention; in 2021 she will be publishing a lay audience book on STDs in the aging population.