Neal Baer

Neal Baer, MD, (born 1955) is an American pediatrician and television writer and producer. He is best known for his work on the television shows ER and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Biography

Education

Baer was born in 1955. His father was a surgeon and his mother was very active politically. He has two brothers who are also surgeons. He graduated from Cherry Creek High School in 1973 and later graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Political Science from Colorado College. Baer attended the AFI Conservatory as a directing fellow in 1983. Baer studied for a master's degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences in Sociology and focused on family policy. Baer attended Harvard Medical School from 1991 to 1996. The final part of his training overlapped with his work in television, and he completed his degree by undertaking electives at UCLA and returning to Harvard during breaks in production.

Baer graduated from Harvard Medical School and completed his internship in Pediatrics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles. He received the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Scholarship from the American Medical Association as the most outstanding medical student who has contributed to promoting a better understanding of medicine in the media. He balanced completing his medical internship with working in television, again practicing medicine in breaks in filming including working as a resident at Children's Hospital in December 1997 and March, April, and May 1998.