Robert J. Vinci, MD, FAAP

Robert J. Vinci, MD, FAAP, is a board-certified pediatrician at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and the Joel & Barbara Alpert Professor of Pediatrics at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine.

Dr. Vinci earned his medical degree from Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and completed first an internship and then his pediatric residency training through Boston Children’s Hospital and Boston Medical Center (then Boston City Hospital). He went on to hold various leadership positions at BMC and Boston University before being named as the Chair and Chief of Pediatrics and the Joel and Barbara Alpert Professor of Pediatrics in 2013. He continued as Chief of Pediatrics for ten years, stepping down from the position in 2023.

Early in his career, Dr. Vinci was responsible for the development of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, and transformed what was known as a "Walk-In Clinic" to an academically oriented Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Vinci served as Director of both the Pediatric Emergency Department and its associated fellowship program, and was one of the leaders who developed Emergency Medical Services for children in Massachusetts. In partnership with former mayor of Boston Tom Menino and colleagues at what is now known as the Boston Public Health Commission, Dr. Vinci also helped establish the highly successful window falls prevention campaign "Kids Can't Fly."

Among Dr. Vinci's many accomplishments in medical education was the establishment of the Boston Combined Residency Program in 1996 that brought together the pediatric training programs at BMC and Boston Children's Hospital. As part of the program, he created and promoted approaches and flexible training options for residents seeking nonstandard pathways, to support residents with families who desired flexible training schedules, and to allow residents to pursue outside interests such as global health training. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Center for the Urban Child and Healthy Family, a national leader in testing unique models of care and partnering with the broader community and like-minded organizations to support children and families.

During his tenure as Chair, the Department of Pediatrics continued its tradition of supporting vulnerable families by creating programs like the SOFAR and Catalyst Programs for families affected by substance use disorders; StreetCred; and the EASE Clinic. During the COVID pandemic, Dr. Vinci and his team quickly came together to build unique programs, introducing dyadic care models, mobile vaccinations, and Project REACH.

A natural mentor, often cited by some of the most notable names in pediatrics as a person instrumental to their careers, Dr. Vinci has been recognized nationally as an outstanding teacher and leader in medical education. His many honors include receiving the Jerome O. Klein Teaching Award here at BMC/BUSM twice, the Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award from BUSM, and the Walter W. Tunnessen, Jr. MD Award from the Association of Pediatric Program Directors, given to those who have made "extraordinary or innovative contributions in pediatric medical education." He also received that Association's Robert S. Holm Leadership Award and is the only person in the history of the organization to receive both awards.

Dr. Vinci has also been actively engaged in creating a dynamic pediatric clerkship for BUSM medical students, has mentored and advised hundreds of medical students pursuing careers in pediatrics, and has chaired BUSM’s Appropriate Treatment in Medicine Committee.