Jefferson Names Endowed Professorship in Cardiology
Cardiologist Howard H. Weitz, M.D., director, Division of Cardiology in the Department of Medicine at Jefferson Medical College of
Thomas Jefferson University, has been named the Bernard L. Segal Professor of Clinical Cardiology. This endowed professorship was made possible through a generous gift given by Dr. Segal, a former chair of cardiology at Jefferson.
“It is a great honor to be the first to receive this Professorship,” said Weitz. “Dr. Segal and I have known each other for many years and I am in admiration of his commitment to his patients and their dedication to him. I pledge in accepting this professorship to be the first in a series of Segal Professors to do my part to ensure that the commitment to the needs of our patients and their families be the guiding principle of cardiac care as well as a core component of the education of the next generation of cardiovascular clinicians, medical educators and clinical researchers at Jefferson.”
Dr. Weitz has been at Jefferson for over 30 years. Since 1978 he has served in many capacities including: associate director of the Division of Internal Medicine, director of clinical cardiology, deputy chairman of the Department of Medicine, vice-chairman for education of the Department of Medicine, co-director of the Jefferson Heart Institute and senior vice chair of Academic Affairs.
As a clinical cardiology expert, Dr. Weitz has received numerous awards and honors such as being named one of “America’s Top Doctors” and being included as one of Philadelphia magazine’s “Top Docs,” as well as “Teacher of the Year” in the Department of Medicine in 1989 and 2002. Also, he was elected an Alumnus Member to Alpha Omega Alpha in 1988. In 2008 he was awarded the Laureate Award of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American College of Physicians. Dr. Weitz is nationally recognized as a clinician and educator. Since 1992 he has served as an associate editor of the American College of Physicians Medical Knowledge Self-Assessment Program and is one of the leading experts on pre- and post-operative evaluation of patients with cardiovascular disease who are undergoing non-cardiac surgery. He has published widely on cardiovascular disease, lectured at major national meetings, and has co-directed major national courses on management of the surgical patient with medical problems. In addition, he has served as a member of the American Heart Association-American College of Physicians Task Force on Clinical Competence.
Dr. Bernard Segal’s career in Philadelphia began at Hahnemann University where he spent a prosperous 24 years. While there he ascended to chief of cardiology and later went on to develop the Philadelphia Heart Institute at Presbyterian Medical Center. Following that he went to Allegheny University to develop a cardiovascular network in his capacity as a senior vice president. But with Allegheny facing bankruptcy Joseph Gonnella, M.D., dean of Jefferson Medical College at the time, offered Dr. Segal a place at Jefferson. During his time at Jefferson, Dr. Segal served as division director of cardiology for a decade while establishing the Thomas Jefferson University Cardiology Research Foundation which has raised over $2 million in support of education and research.
Media Only Contact:
Richard Cushman
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital
Phone: (215) 955-6300
Published: 5/4/2010