Hiram Polk
Encyclopedia
Hiram C. Polk, Jr. is native of Jackson, Mississippi and alumnus of Millsaps College
and the Harvard Medical School
. He served as the Ben A. Reid Professor and Chairman of Surgery at the University of Louisville
from 1971–2005. Polk trained in Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis
and was a fellow at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine in London before receiving an academic appointment at the University of Miami
and later becoming a full professor and director of pediatric surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
In 1971, at the relatively young age of 35, he was recruited to the University of Louisville as Chairman of Surgery and oversaw the development of the department into a well-respected center for research and surgical education. Upon his stepping down as chairman, the University of Louisville department of surgery was re-dedicated as the Hiram C. Polk Department of Surgery and an endowed chair was established in his name. Noted advances that occurred by the division under his chairmanship include the development and first implantation of the Abiocore artificial heart and the organization of one of the world's first hand transplant
programs. While Chairman at Louisville, Polk trained more than 230 surgical residents, all of whom hold board certification in general surgery. Some of the surgical residents have become academic surgery chairmen at medical schools in the United States.
Polk is known for his pioneering research on proper surgical antibiotic use to reduce surgical site infections [PMID 4892316] , burn care [PMID 5801560], concepts in treatment of malignant melanoma
[PMID 10670849] , surgical oncology, hiatal hernia treatment [PMID 5766742] , Trauma surgery and systems development, and many contributions in the development of contemporary surgical training methods and models.
Since 1963, he has authored or co-authored over 450 papers and journal articles, 152 textbook chapters and 11 books. He served as editor in chief from 1986–2004 of The American Journal of Surgery , and was honored with an unprecedented issue in his honor in August 2005. He is currently Emeritus Editor-in-Chief of that journal. Polk has also served as chairman of the Residency Review Committee (Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education), President of the Southeastern Surgery Society, President of the American Surgical Association
, President of the Society of Surgical Oncology, President of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, President of the Kentucky Surgical Society, Governor of the American College of Surgeons, Chairman of VA Merit Review Board, Chairman of Kentucky Division of the American Cancer Society, and President of the Association for Academic Surgery among others. In 1995 he was inducted as an Honorary member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the oldest surgical college in the world.
Polk is also a figure well-known in the thoroughbred horse racing industry . http://www.surgeonsnews.info/docs/issue3-1/pdfs/100.pdf. He is a member of the Jockey Club
http://www.jockeyclub.com/factbook.asp?section=21 and a former director of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Millsaps College named Polk its 2005 Alumnus of the year.
http://www.millsaps.edu/news_events/magazine/ss05/major_notes_ss05.pdf
His current wife is Susan Galandiuk, M.D., a colorectal surgeon.
Millsaps College
Millsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
and the Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
. He served as the Ben A. Reid Professor and Chairman of Surgery at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
from 1971–2005. Polk trained in Surgery at Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
and was a fellow at the Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine in London before receiving an academic appointment at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
and later becoming a full professor and director of pediatric surgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital.
In 1971, at the relatively young age of 35, he was recruited to the University of Louisville as Chairman of Surgery and oversaw the development of the department into a well-respected center for research and surgical education. Upon his stepping down as chairman, the University of Louisville department of surgery was re-dedicated as the Hiram C. Polk Department of Surgery and an endowed chair was established in his name. Noted advances that occurred by the division under his chairmanship include the development and first implantation of the Abiocore artificial heart and the organization of one of the world's first hand transplant
Hand transplant
Hand transplantation is a surgical procedure to transplant a hand from one human to another.The operation is carried out in the following order: bone fixation, tendon repair, artery repair, nerve repair, then vein repair. The operation typically lasts 8 to 12 hours...
programs. While Chairman at Louisville, Polk trained more than 230 surgical residents, all of whom hold board certification in general surgery. Some of the surgical residents have become academic surgery chairmen at medical schools in the United States.
Polk is known for his pioneering research on proper surgical antibiotic use to reduce surgical site infections [PMID 4892316] , burn care [PMID 5801560], concepts in treatment of malignant melanoma
Melanoma
Melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes. Melanocytes are cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. They predominantly occur in skin, but are also found in other parts of the body, including the bowel and the eye...
[PMID 10670849] , surgical oncology, hiatal hernia treatment [PMID 5766742] , Trauma surgery and systems development, and many contributions in the development of contemporary surgical training methods and models.
Since 1963, he has authored or co-authored over 450 papers and journal articles, 152 textbook chapters and 11 books. He served as editor in chief from 1986–2004 of The American Journal of Surgery , and was honored with an unprecedented issue in his honor in August 2005. He is currently Emeritus Editor-in-Chief of that journal. Polk has also served as chairman of the Residency Review Committee (Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education), President of the Southeastern Surgery Society, President of the American Surgical Association
American Surgical Association
The American Surgical Association is the nation's "oldest and most prestigious surgical organization".-History:It was founded in 1880. Their publication, Annals of Surgery, was started in 1885.- Heads :*Edward Mott Moore...
, President of the Society of Surgical Oncology, President of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, President of the Kentucky Surgical Society, Governor of the American College of Surgeons, Chairman of VA Merit Review Board, Chairman of Kentucky Division of the American Cancer Society, and President of the Association for Academic Surgery among others. In 1995 he was inducted as an Honorary member of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, the oldest surgical college in the world.
Polk is also a figure well-known in the thoroughbred horse racing industry . http://www.surgeonsnews.info/docs/issue3-1/pdfs/100.pdf. He is a member of the Jockey Club
Jockey Club
The Jockey Club is the largest commercial organisation in British horseracing. Although no longer responsible for the governance and regulation of the sport, it owns 14 of Britain's famous racecourses, including Aintree, Cheltenham and Newmarket, amongst other concerns such as the National Stud and...
http://www.jockeyclub.com/factbook.asp?section=21 and a former director of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association.
Millsaps College named Polk its 2005 Alumnus of the year.
http://www.millsaps.edu/news_events/magazine/ss05/major_notes_ss05.pdf
His current wife is Susan Galandiuk, M.D., a colorectal surgeon.