NBC News chief medical editor Nancy Snyderman is stepping down after nine years at the network, according to a company press release.
Snyderman’s departure comes just a few months after the network reprimanded her for breaking an Ebola quarantine. After returning from a reporting trip to Liberia, Snyderman was spotted getting takeout from a restaurant in New Jersey. She was placed on “family leave” for a month and a half, after which she apologized on “The Today Show.”
Snyderman’s full statement is below:
I stepped out of the OR a few years ago and it is now time for me to return to my roots, so I am stepping down from my position as Chief Medical Editor at NBC News. Covering the Ebola epidemic last fall in Liberia, and then becoming part of the story upon my return to the U.S., contributed to my decision that now is the time to return to academic medicine. I will be shortly taking up a faculty position at a major U.S. medical school. More needs to be done to communicate medicine and science to our viewers and citizens, especially in times of crisis, and with my experiences in the field and on air, that is going to be a priority for me.
I have loved my nine years at NBC and I am proud of the work my team has done. Very few people get the chance to combine two professions and I have appreciated the chance to inform the public about medical updates and the plight of so many in other countries. Every moment has been an honor.
An NBC spokesperson praised Snyderman's work at the network. “Throughout her career with NBC News, Dr. Nancy Snyderman has provided her expertise on countless health and medical topics that are vitally important to our audience," the spokesperson said. "She’s been a valuable voice both on air and in our newsroom, and we wish her all the best.”
The news comes weeks after NBC suspended embattled anchor Brian Williams for six months.
