Eric Ayers M.D.

Eric Ayers, M.D., F.A.C.P., F.A.A.P., is an associate professor with a dual appointment in the departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics at the Wayne State University School of Medicine. The 1989 graduate of the School of Medicine has been a faculty member for more than 24 years.

He serves as program director of the Combined Internal Medicine and Pediatrics Residency Training Program. He serves on several committees with Wayne State University and Wayne State University Physician Group. He has received recognition for his teaching by the School of Medicine and several medical student groups, including the Black Medical Association and the Gold Humanism Honor Society. He is the faculty representative for several school-based co-curricular groups. He is overseeing the development of a comprehensive transitional care program that helps adolescents and young adults with congenital illness receive optimal medical service as they mature into adulthood. He also played a role in the development of the curriculum of the newly opened LGTBQI Clinic in Corktown, along with providing coverage and teaching at the Adult Wellness Clinic in East Indian Village.

Dr. Ayers has served as a member of the Black Family Development Board of Directors for the last four years and was recently elected to serve another three-year term, providing expertise in pediatrics, adolescents and young adult health issues. He recently completed service as member of the Gold Humanism Board as the resident program representative. He has served on the executive committee on the National Internal Medicine-Pediatrics Program Directors Association, having served as president during the 2006-2007 year. He has served as a board member of the Student National Medical Association and as a coordinator for its National Leadership Institute 2010, where he was a member of the annual Medical Educational Conference National Planning Committee from 2009-2011. Detroit area parents in 2009 voted Dr. Ayers as Detroit's Top Pediatrician in Nickelodeon's online magazine, Parents Connect. He sits on the advisory boards for the following Detroit area schools; Detroit Edison Elementary and Middle School, Cody High Medicine and Health Academy, and Ben Carson High School.

The Department of Internal Medicine recently honored Dr. Ayers with the John O'Connell Award for Diversity for his advocacy in this area. The University of Detroit Jesuit High School honored him with as an Alumni of the Year in 2002. Michigan State University College of Natural Science presented him with the Alumni of the Year Award for 2011. He was recently acknowledged for his leadership and sponsorship for the Detroit Kappa League and its health awareness program. He also was honored by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. at the 64th Province meeting for his years of dedicated service and outstanding accomplishments in health advocacy to the brotherhood. He has been a keynote speaker for the National Medical Association National Convention on Urban Adolescent Health, the Black Medical Association Senior Send-Off Graduation, Kaplan Medical Professional Training Center Detroit Graduation, and 100 Black Men, Men's Health Forum, Cody High's Pinning Ceremony, and the Gold Humanism Honor Society Banquet.

His research interests include hypertension, issues regarding sexuality, adolescent health, men's health, asthma and lung disease, transitional care and resident life issues. He is published and has served as a reviewer for the National Medical Association Journal and Journal of Clinical Outcomes at Wayne State University.

Dr. Ayers has been recognized as an Outstanding Teacher by the School of Medicine. He has received national and local recognition for his commitment to teaching, humanism and community service, receiving the Pfizer Humanism in Medicine Award in 2004 and the Alfred Tow Award for Humanism in Medicine, sponsored by the Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society, in 2006. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society and the Gold Humanism in Medicine Honor Society. His compassion for patients was acknowledged by the Visiting Nurses Association in 2003 as one of its Outstanding Physicians. He has been acknowledged by his peers as an Outstanding Physician by The Best Doctors in America for the past nine years. He was featured as an Outstanding Doctor by Detroit Hour Magazine in 2003. His efforts have been noticed and recognized by the Detroit City Council, which presented him with the Spirit of Detroit Award on multiple occasions, most recently in 2010. He mentors elementary, high school and college students in their pursuit of success be it in medicine or other fields.

Dr. Ayers attended the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and completed his undergraduate education at Michigan State University. He completed his medical school training at Wayne State University. He completed a three-year fellowship in substance abuse sponsored by the National Institutes of Health and a one-year Faculty Development course at Michigan State.

Dr. Ayers is the proud father of Symone Ayers, who graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Education and is pursuing a Master in Education degree while teaching special education, and Bradley Ayers, who recently graduated from Howard University with a BA in Business Finance.