WVU Department of Surgery welcomes Harriet Tubman Visiting Professor Robert S. D. Higgins, MD, MSHA
The WVU Department of Surgery Special Grand Rounds is pleased to welcome 2022 Harriet Tubman Visiting Professor Robert S. D. Higgins, MD, MSHA.
Dr. Borgstrom will provide introductions for Dr. Higgins to present his lecture virtually on Feb. 16, 2022, beginning at 7:30 a.m. as a ZOOM presentation. The lecture given by Dr. Higgins is titled “Can We Find a Silver Lining in the Pandemic…The Role of Leadership in Academic Medicine.”
To register to receive the link, please email Dr. David Borgstrom at dcborgstrom@hsc.wvu.edu.
Robert S D Higgins, MD, MSHA, is President of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Executive Vice President, Mass General, Boston Massachusetts, having recently left Johns Hopkins University where he was Surgeon-in-Chief of the Department of Surgery. He received his BA degree from Dartmouth College and his MD degree from Yale University. His general surgery residency was at the Hospitals of the University Health Center of Pittsburgh. His Cardiothoracic training was completed at Yale University School of Medicine. This background is the foundation for his successful journey as a cardiothoracic surgeon and transplant program leader, dedicated to serving our profession and addressing disparities in health care delivery to enhance quality, efficiency, equity, and patient advocacy. Throughout his career, he has had many extraordinary leadership opportunities to pursue this mission including service as president of UNOS, our national organ transplant system; president of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons (SBAS); president of the world's largest professional society of cardiothoracic surgeons (Society of Thoracic Surgeons/STS); president of the Society of Surgical Chairs (SSC), nominated by the American College of Surgeons; director of the Johns Hopkins Department of Surgery and Senior Associate Dean for Diversity and Inclusion for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and now as President of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Through these administrative and clinical leadership roles, he has leveraged his influence to advocate for building a diverse physician workforce and eliminating health disparities. As a senior African American faculty member, he has been fortunate to mentor over 125 students, residents, and faculty with the hope of inspiring the development of a physician workforce that reflects the country's racial and ethnic diversity. He recognizes the importance of eliminating unconscious bias, enhancing mentorship, and increasing the impact of dedicated faculty development in successful academic careers. His current responsibilities as the President of Brigham and Women’s Hospital provide an extraordinary opportunity to lead one of the most prolific academic and independent research hospitals in the world. This will continue to be his focus and passion in his academic leadership roles.
Strategic recruitment of underrepresented faculty in science and medicine and the creation of a racial and multicultural environment that is inclusive and supportive with a network of supportive senior faculty, staff, and leadership will not only enhance the academic development of these faculty, but also create lasting institutional change at places like Johns Hopkins University and Brigham and Women’s Hospital of the Harvard Medical School to influence the academic success of current and future faculty from underrepresented groups.