Nirmala Priya Narla, MD

Nirmala (Neeru) Narla, MD, is a pediatric hospitalist who cares for children while they are patients in the hospital.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Dr. Narla was happy for the opportunity to return and serve her home community. She values being part of a children's hospital focused on giving all children, even the most vulnerable, access to excellent care. Dr. Narla loves being part of Phoenix Children's rapid growth and advancement as a national leader in children's health.

International service during college moved Dr. Narla to combine her interests in science and service. Seeing disparities in care, she wanted to help provide the best medical care to vulnerable people. Dr. Narla appreciates how pediatrics gives her the privilege of being part of a child's world. Inspired by their resilience, she strives to advocate for children while providing quality care.

After earning her medical degree at Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Dr. Narla completed a pediatric internship and residency at the Boston Combined Residency Program of Boston Children's Hospital and Boston Medical Center. She then completed a fellowship in global health service delivery at Boston Children's Hospital and a master's in public health at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

Dr. Narla is a member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Hospital Medicine. She also serves as the chief medical officer and board member of HERA, Inc., which connects refugees with healthcare services through an app.

Active in research, Dr. Narla's focus is on studying and improving healthcare access globally while reducing barriers to care. Her research interests include building hospital capacity and provider education in Laos, adolescent transition and mental health care for patients with chronic disease in Ghana, and preventative health for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

Dr. Narla believes shared decision making between patients, families and providers leads to holistic healing. She strives to provide clear, evidence-based information with compassion.

When she's not working, Dr. Narla enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She and her husband enjoy traveling, exploring nature and experimenting with new cuisines. She volunteers with several international nonprofit organizations and loves immersing herself in different cultures.