Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center have named Dr. Behzad Soleimani, professor of surgery, as the new chair of the Department of Surgery, effective January 1.
December 23, 2024
Soleimani is a distinguished surgeon and visionary leader with a decade of leadership experience at Penn State College of Medicine. He is currently Director of the Penn State Heart and Vascular Institute (HVI) and Chief of the Department of Cardiac Surgery, and holds the William S. Pierce in Cardiothoracic Surgery. In addition to this new role, Dr. Soleimani will remain Director of HVI.
He takes over the reins from Dr. Colette Bamier, who has served as interim chief since September 2022, maintaining our Department of Surgery’s focus on providing high-quality surgical care, educating future surgeons and translational research.
Soleimani shared some areas in which he is particularly proud and excited to build upon including the department’s rich legacy of excellence, incredible faculty talent, improved resident training, collaborative leadership, enhanced academic productivity, and the department’s commitment to system integration.
Soleimani is an exceptional leader and innovator, having pioneered numerous surgical techniques in the cardiovascular field. He has elevated our cardiac surgery program to national prominence by leading groundbreaking initiatives that have significantly enhanced patient outcomes and operational efficiencies. National recognition includes achieving a 3-star rating from the Society of Thoracic Surgeons for coronary artery bypass surgery and being ranked as one of the top 50 cardiac surgery programs in the country by Healthgrades.
Soleimani remains committed to research excellence by expanding and advancing research to advance cardiovascular medicine by attracting top-tier talent, incorporating cutting-edge investigative tools, and dramatically increasing clinical trial enrollment rates. Specific accomplishments include increasing and managing external funding for HVI from $3.5 million in FY23 to $4.1 million in FY24 with 16 active external grants, including six NIH R01 grants, and raising more than $350,000 annually from Through philanthropic efforts for research and education.
A commitment to education and mentorship has also been a cornerstone of his career, as he has continually fostered a culture of academic rigor and collaboration by mentoring future leaders in the field. Dr. Soleimani continues to publish and present research findings at professional conferences, enhancing the visibility and reputation of the programs he represents.
Pamier will remain professor of surgery and chair of the Department of General Surgery and Surgical Oncology.
“Please join us in congratulating Dr. Soleimani on this role and thanking Dr. Bammjer for her contributions,” said Dr. Karen Kim, dean of the School of Medicine, and Don McKenna, president of Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Joint statement.
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