Dr. Atwal is an Assistant Professor at the Georgetown University Berkley School of Nursing and is Course Coordinator for FNP 1. He is a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner and has been in practice for over 9 years, primarily in the federally qualified community health center setting. He has also served as Director of the Gender Affirming Health Care Program at the Virginia League for Planned Parenthood, where he continues to practice. In addition, Dr. Atwal is a Professor of Nursing and Public Health (dual appointment) at Akal College of Nursing and School of Public Health, Eternal University, Himachal Pradesh, India (one of the foremost colleges of nursing in India), and serves as Executive Director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Degree Programs. Dr. Atwal also serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal for Nurse Practitioners, is a member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, and is an attorney and member of the Washington, D.C. Bar Association.
Dr. Atwal’s clinical practice has centered around providing comprehensive primary care to traditionally vulnerable and marginalized populations (i.e. racial/ethnic minorities, refugees, LGBTQIA+, medically underserved, the uninsured, and unhoused populations) in urban, suburban, and rural settings. His practice philosophy employs an interdisciplinary, patient centered medical home approach that ensures patients receive holistic plans of care addressing the “whole person” as well as social determinants of health.
Dr. Atwal spent the first part of his career in health policy research and academic publishing. He served as Deputy Editor of the health policy journal Health Affairs. He also served as Senior Manager for Health Policy and Content Development at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, where he was part of the team that helped transition hospitals and outpatient clinical practices nationwide to adoption of electronic health records under the Obama Administration. He received his BSN and Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University where he was the recipient of the Joan Sutton Award in recognition of demonstrating a strong dedication to professional nursing, clinical excellence and interdisciplinary practice. He received his MSN from Georgetown University, and his DNP from Frontier Nursing University. Dr. Atwal received his JD from Albany Law School of Union University where he served on the Editorial Board of the Albany Law Review.