Becky White

Dr. Becky White is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, specializing in Infectious Diseases. She serves as Co-Director of HIV Services for the North Carolina Department of Corrections, bridging clinical practice with public health research. Her work focuses on HIV treatment and prevention within incarcerated populations and underserved communities, particularly African Americans.

Dr. White received her medical degree from the University of Virginia in 1992, completed her Internal Medicine residency at Virginia Commonwealth University (1992-1996), followed by an Infectious Diseases fellowship at UNC Chapel Hill (1996-1998). She also earned a Master of Public Health from the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, strengthening her expertise in population health approaches.

Her research centers on the intersection of public health and clinical medicine, particularly regarding HIV in incarcerated settings. Dr. White was instrumental in identifying the association between prisoner release and increased viral loads among HIV-positive individuals, which has significant implications for community transmission. She led the first randomized controlled trial comparing directly observed versus self-administered antiretroviral therapy in prisons and implemented North Carolina's first HIV opt-out screening program in state prisons. Her work now extends to broader HIV care for at-risk communities, focusing on screening, access to treatment, and medication adherence.

Dr. White's publication record reflects a strong focus on HIV prevention and treatment within correctional settings, with significant contributions to syphilis diagnostics and prison health services. Her research spans clinical trials of antiretroviral therapy administration methods to epidemiological studies examining health outcomes post-incarceration. While most publications center on infectious diseases, she has also contributed to interdisciplinary work on food science topics, demonstrating collaborative research across disciplines.

Dr. White maintains dual board certification in Internal Medicine (2015) and Infectious Disease (2018). She practices clinically while conducting research that directly informs public health policy and clinical practice for vulnerable populations.

As an educator and researcher, Dr. White actively seeks collaborators interested in joining her research team to address critical gaps in HIV care for incarcerated individuals and underserved communities. Her work with the North Carolina Department of Corrections represents a significant contribution to improving healthcare delivery within correctional facilities and addressing systemic health disparities.