Following a national search, Peter W. Dillon, Ballantine professor of surgery and pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Surgery, has been appointed chair of the Department of Surgery at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Penn State College of Medicine. Dillon has served as interim chair since August 2006. He succeeds Wiley W. "Chip" Souba Jr., who was chair of the Department of Surgery for seven years before being named dean of the Ohio State University College of Medicine in June 2006.
"Dr. Dillon is a proven health-care leader, an accomplished educator and researcher, and an outstanding physician who has earned widespread respect among his peers," said Harold L. Paz, dean and senior vice president for health affairs, Penn State College of Medicine, chief executive officer, Penn State Hershey Medical Center. "His leadership and expertise will not only benefit the department, but also the institution as we continue to grow and translate cutting-edge research into state-of-the-art, high-quality care for our patients."
As chair, Dillon will oversee the education, research and clinical programs of the 10 divisions within the Department of Surgery, including artificial organs, cardiothoracic surgery, colon and rectal surgery, general surgery (minimally invasive surgery, surgical oncology, trauma/critical care surgery), otolaryngology/head and neck surgery, pediatric surgery, plastic surgery, transplant surgery, urologic surgery and vascular surgery.
Before and during his term as interim chair, Dillon held several leadership positions within the Department of Surgery, including program director of the General Surgery Residency Program, vice chair for clinical affairs, surgical director of peri-operative services and professor of surgery and pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Surgery. He also served as director of surgical services and director of the pediatric and neonatal extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation program for Penn State Children's Hospital and is a consulting pediatric surgeon to three hospitals in central Pennsylvania.
Other Medical Center appointments include assistant professor of surgery and pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Surgery (1990-1995), associate professor of surgery and pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Surgery (1995-2001) and chief, Division of Pediatric Surgery (1996-2001).
Before joining the Medical Center and College of Medicine in 1990, Dillon was an instructor in surgery at the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons (1981-89) and assistant professor of surgery and pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Surgery at the Medical College of Virginia (1989-90).
Dillon is the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including Best Doctors in America. He is a leader in many regional, national and international surgical and medical professional societies and organizations, including the chair of the Pediatric Surgery Module Development Team of the American College of Surgeons' National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. He serves in key leadership positions at the Medical Center, College of Medicine and Children's Hospital. He completed various leadership development courses in the areas of health-care administration and finance control systems.
Before earning his medical doctorate at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons and master of science at Penn State College of Medicine, Dillon graduated from Harvard University. He completed both his internship and residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York City, in the Department of Surgery; a fellowship in pediatric surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center Babies Hospital; and a research fellowship in Columbia University's Department of Surgery.