Gilbert R. Upchurch Jr., M.D., has been selected as the new chair of the department of surgery at the University of Florida College of Medicine following a national search. He began his new role on Nov. 1.
Upchurch, who also serves as UF’s Edward R. Woodward professor of surgery, has an international reputation as an acclaimed clinician, researcher and educator in the study and treatment of aortic and vascular disease. He is an exemplary teacher, having received many teaching awards over the course of his career.
“We are especially impressed with Dr. Upchurch’s keen ability to listen, to quickly assess complex situations and to articulate a path forward that is consistent with the mission and goals of UF Health,” said Michael L. Good, M.D., dean of the UF College of Medicine.
Prior to joining UF, Upchurch served as the chief of vascular and endovascular surgery in the department of surgery and the medical director of the Heart and Vascular Center at the University of Virginia Medical Center in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was also the William H. Muller Jr. professor of surgery, as well as a professor in the department of molecular physiology and biological physics.
Impressed by the breadth of expertise within the department and its combined strengths in clinical care, research and education, Upchurch said he seeks to build on what others have accomplished in making the department of surgery one of the very best in the country.
“I am joining one of the best departments of surgery in the United States,” Upchurch said. “UF has an amazing balance of outstanding clinical care, world-class research and top-notch educational programs.”
Earning his medical degree at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and training at Harvard University, Boston University and the Cleveland Clinic, Upchurch maintains active roles on numerous peer-reviewed journals and professional organizations.
He serves on the editorial boards of many prestigious publications, including the Annals of Surgery, Surgery, the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, JAMA Surgery, the Journal of Vascular Surgery, the Journal of Endovascular Therapy, AORTA, and the Annals of Vascular Surgery. He has also served as editor or associate editor for more than 10 books, including “Greenfield’s Surgery: Scientific Principles & Practice,” “Fischer’s Mastery of Surgery” and “Rutherford’s Vascular Surgery.”
Upchurch is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and the American Heart Association, and a distinguished fellow of the Society of Vascular Surgery. He is a member of numerous medical associations, including the American Surgical Society, the Southern Surgical Association, the Society for Vascular Surgery and the Southern Association of Vascular Surgery. He is president-elect of the Society for Clinical Vascular Surgery.
“We are confident he will build on the strong legacy established under the leadership of the previous chairs, moving us forward to a position of even greater national stature and prominence,” Good said.