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Helen
Jack
MD

Faculty
Pinned
Academic
Assistant Professor, Medicine

biography

Dr. Helen E. Jack is a physician-scientist and a practicing primary care physician with the Washington Department of Corrections. Dr. Jack’s research focuses on the integration of mental health and addiction treatment into low-resource primary care settings both domestically and in low-income countries. Since 2013, she has been conducting global mental health systems research and doing research capacity-building in Zimbabwe. As the behavioral health treatment gap spans borders, Dr. Jack is also leads US-based research focused on substance use care for justice-involved individuals.

Dr. Jack graduated summa cum laude from Yale University and completed medical school at Harvard Medical School. Prior to beginning her medical training, she earned a second BA in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar.

Education & Training

  • MD, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA (2014–2018)
  • Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2018–2021)

Honors

  • University of Washington Department of Medicine, Chair of Medicine Scholar’s Award (2023)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Global Mental Health Visionary Innovators Shaping Tomorrow’s Advancements (VISTA) Award (2023)
  • Triple I Research Mentor Award for medical student research mentorship (2023)
  • Alpha Omega Alpha (2020)
  • Harborview Annual Housestaff Achievement Award for Clinical Ability and Humanitarian Concern (2020)
  • Center for Primary Care Student Leadership Award, Harvard Medical School (2016)
  • Rhodes Scholarship (2012)
  • Phi Beta Kappa (2011)

Research

Dr. Jack is currently supported by an NIMH K23 career development award to study the implementation of the World Health Organization’s depression treatment guidelines in primary care in Zimbabwe. She also co-leads two studies focused on substance use treatment and HIV prevention for people releasing from prison in Washington State. Much of her prior research has centered on how lay health workers, including both community health workers and peer support workers, can be part of expanding access to behavioral health care, both domestically and in southern Africa.

Research Interests

Clinical Interests

  • Correctional health
  • Primary care
  • Substance use treatment

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