Arthur Garson, Jr., M.D., M.P.H., Vice President and Dean of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, and R. Edward Howell, Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of the University of Virginia Medical Center, recently announced the appointment of Robert E. O’Connor, M.D., M.P.H. , as Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine, effective July 1, 2007.
Dr. O’Connor is currently Director of Education and Research in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Christiana Care Health System, Wilmington, Delaware, and Professor of Emergency Medicine at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia.
“Dr. O’Connor is an innovator in terms of incorporating teaching and research into the busy emergency department environment,” Howell noted. “In addition, his work in emergency preparedness will strengthen our abilities to respond to emergencies in central Virginia.”
Dr. O’Connor earned his medical degree from the Medical College of Pennsylvania and completed his residency in Emergency Medicine at the Medical Center of Delaware. He received his Master’s in Public Health from the Medical College of Wisconsin.
“We are excited to have Dr. O’Connor lead our busy and growing Department of Emergency Medicine and look forward to his work in strengthening the residency program, and collaborating with the School of Nursing, the College of Arts and Sciences, and community organizations to develop innovative teaching programs,” Dr. Garson said.
Dr. O’Connor has more than 80 peer-reviewed publications, with active research interests in resuscitation, trauma and cardiovascular care. Dr. O’Connor is the Immediate Past President of the National Association of EMS Physicians, the incoming Chair of the Emergency Cardiac Care Committee for the American Heart Association, and the member of many professional societies including the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Academy of Emergency Medicine, the American College of Physician Executives and the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine.
“I was very impressed with the people and patient care, teaching and research at the University of Virginia,” Dr. O’Connor said. “UVa has a great national reputation and tradition in emergency medicine and offers the opportunity to focus the considerable talents of the faculty in furthering the mission of the University. It is my hope to build on the many achievements of my predecessor, Dr. (Marcus) Martin, and to develop some new programs in clinical care, teaching and research activities.”
