Dr. Jennifer Ashton: New Med Correspondent

(CBS)  The Early Show has a new medical correspondent -- Dr. Jennifer Ashton.

Her appointment as a medical correspondent was announced by Sean McManus, the president of CBS News and CBS Sports.

In her new role, Dr. Ashton will report on a broad range of medical topics for The Early Show, and will contribute to other CBS News broadcasts and platforms.

Dr. Ashton's first Early Show topic, on Wednesday -- the pistachio salmonella scare-related recall.

She'll continue practicing medicine while performing her duties as a correspondent, McManus points out. She's delivered about 1,000 babies.

"CBS News is committed to providing viewers with the information they need most," he says. "Dr. Ashton's proven ability to clearly communicate sometimes complicated health and medical news will be an asset to CBS News and The Early Show."

She was welcomed to the show by co-anchors Harry Smith and Maggie Rodriguez, and revealed she'd actually been on with Smith before!:



Dr. Ashton, a board-certified physician in obstetrics and gynecology, is on the attending staff of Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in Englewood, N.J., an affiliate of Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Her private medical practice, Hygeia Gynecology, treats women in Englewood for both medical and surgical gynecologic conditions.

Most recently, Dr. Ashton served as a medical contributor for Fox News, from 2006 into this year. During that time, she also was a featured expert on XM Radio's "Oprah & Friends" with Dr. Mehmet Oz and appeared on PBS and on The Learning Channel's "A Baby Story."

Dr. Ashton is a member of several professional organizations and is a Fellow of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She's done clinical research and presented at national clinical meetings in the fields of general surgery, critical care and gynecologic oncology. Dr. Ashton serves on the Board of Trustees of the Arnold P. Gold Foundation for Humanism in Medicine, is active with many charities and has been recognized for her philanthropic efforts by numerous foundations.

Her first book, on teenage health and wellness, is due to be published in December.

Dr. Ashton was born in Victorville, Calif. She graduated from Columbia College, Columbia University, in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in art history and from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 2000 with an M.D, the same year she was awarded the prestigious Bartlestone Award in Pharmacology. She completed her residency in women's health and gynecologic surgery at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center in New York, an affiliate of Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Ashton served as Administrative Chief Resident and was awarded Chief Resident of the Year upon completing her residency.

She lives in New Jersey with her husband, Dr. Robert Ashton, a thoracic surgeon, and their two children.

[mamaski]

I saw Dr. Ashtons segment on thumb sucking and she says that most children grow out of it. As some children do, there are many many children that have a hard time breaking the habit and it can go on as long as into their teen years and really push the teeth forward. I was a thumb sucker and had to get braces and dental appliances as a result. Rather than just ingnore the problem, like she suggested, parents can help thier children break the thumb sucking habit with a positive teaching tool like Thumbuddy To Love that helps kids with a book, thumb puppet and success chart. My dentist recommended it and our daughter stopped in a weeks time.

[dmimcg]

Dr. Ashton has very little understanding of most medical issues. She is a very good shill however for Big Pharma. I think her advice is a total waste of time. Don't listen to her if you want to stay healthy.

[madisons007]

Dr Jen I beg to differ with you. No medicine can make you stop smoking
if YOU don't want to stop.All the patches and perscriptions are just
a way to make money and,I would't want to put anybody out of a job
but yes all this stuff makes more $12.00an hr. jobs.The urge to lite
only last 30sec.you tell yourself no pop a life saver mint and go on.
Now,after three or so you got it.Once in a while,after dinner,a beer,
when a close call in the car and just the idea oh! I'll just have one
but you still have to say no.Iam not gonna spend $5.00 and let it go
to those dirty cig makers.I know people and I've done it.Tell them
COLD TURKEY and stop being a wimp.IF YOU SMOKE YOUR A WIMP.......

[madisons007]

BOY..THIS GUY IS RIGHT. HE MUST BE VERY SMART TOO. WHAT A GOOD IDEA.
WE SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT OF THIS WITH OUR BRAINS...........

[cuinsemo]

Dr. Ashton; Have you ever heard of using 1 tblspn Apple Cider vinegar w/water, 1 X/day for 3 days...to figure out if infections are either viral or bacterial? I've been using this method since 1991 and it has proven itself over and over. The premise is: viruses can't live in acidic systems. For my system, I found out that after my third day on AC vinegar and I'm not feeling any better, go to the Dr; it's a bacteria! No Antibiotics, if I know it is viral!

[bigbri140]

Good show on shower heads, but there are many more problems with taking showers in chlorinated water than with bacteria. Lots of documentation on skin problems such as eczema, psoriasis, hair loss , dry skin, asthma etc. Also chlorine absorbs through open pores very rapidly. I have done a lot of research on this issue and I'm a HUGE believer in filtering all water and especially shower water.

[Weezie13]

I wanted to let Dr. Ashton know that my Grandfather was
"ONE IN A MILLION" ~literally.... I watched the show about the H1N1
pregnant lady dying.. *very sad, my condolenses to her family and my heart goes out to them...*
But wanted to share the story of my Grandfather being effected by the Swine Flu SHOT back in the later 70's *I'll say 76 or 77, I forget, I was a teen* but he had THE LONGEST BATTLE OF HIS LIFE FROM THAT SHOT, he was paralyzed, ended up in the hospitol for, I can't remember, 8 months, then transfered to a nursing home for more re~hab *to learn to use his hands/feet again...* then we had him at our home for about 5 or 6 months, because he wasn't ready to be back on his own..(although it was a great time having him there, he was funny, and enjoyed having him there.. but what a shame a man, after taking care of himself pretty much all of his life, to going to the level he went to.... was just not right..)

[dkrof]

RE: AUTISM
I would like to see you interview best selling author David Brownstein, MD. His book on iodine points to the W.H.O.'s recognition that iodine deficiency is the greatest preventable cause of mental retardation worldwide. Because it effects the myelin it could be involved with ADD/ADHD, MS etc. Possibly Autism? Because of the toxic halides and heavy metals in our environment our immune systems are effected causing autoimmune disease and allergies. According to the National Surveys, iodine levels in the US have fallen 50% over the last 30 years.

[rmichem]

It is going to be interesting to see how the HEALTH NEWS REVIEWS, deals, with the stories done by, Dr. Ashton. As was discuss on the HNR blog, it is not the reporters, that is doing the story, but what happen behind the scenes. It takes more then just smooth skin, and long legs, to give out useful health news.

[stephenmatt-2009]

Dr. Ashton may be well qualified, but I guarantee you that if she has not been as attractive she would not be on this show. I wish these morning noise shows would put someone on there that the rest of us can identify with.
Julie Chen is such an attractive woman that she does not even look real. Besides, I think she got her job because she's Les Moonves' wife.

[djct51]

Dr. Ashton seems to be very knowledgeable and personable, but I was wondering what happened to the other doctor who was on the show. She was fantastic!