WVU Charleston Division names new internal medicine chair

CHARLESTON, W.Va. – West Virginia University, Charleston Division has named Shawn A. Chillag, MD as professor and chair of the department of internal medicine, effective May 23.

A graduate of West Virginia University School of Medicine, Dr. Chillag completed his internship in internal medicine at Charleston Area Medical Center and residency at West Virginia University.   Fellowship trained in pulmonary disease and geriatric care, Dr. Chillag will join the faculty team in Charleston at an important time, as WVU looks to the regional campus to take the lead in the geriatric component of its strategic initiative to focus on improving the lives of the people of West Virginia and beyond through excellence in patient care, education, research, and service to our communities.

Currently a professor and chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Dr. Chillag is heavily involved in medical student and internal medicine resident training at all levels. Special areas of additional training and expertise include geriatric medicine, pulmonary diseases and morning report, along with a burgeoning interest in point of care ultrasound in the outpatient and inpatient arena. The majority of his scholarly activity has been case based and clinical reviews with some recent work in ultrasound. He believes use of bedside ultrasound as a powerful education and clinical tool for student and other trainee education is tremendously exciting and an area ripe for exploration.

“After an extensive search we are delighted to welcome Dr. Chillag home to his WVU Charleston roots,” said John C. Linton, PhD, ABPP, associate vice president and dean of the school of medicine at West Virginia University’s Charleston Division.  “He brings a wealth of experience and wisdom to Internal Medicine; an accomplished and highly valued clinician, educator and administrator, we look forward to Dr. Chillag’s many contributions to the Charleston campus and our partners at CAMC as we address the health challenges facing our citizens across West Virginia.”

“WVU is very proud to welcome back Dr. Chillag to the leadership team of the School of Medicine and our Charleston Division,” said Clay Marsh, M.D., vice president and executive dean for health sciences at West Virginia University.  “We will be depending on him not just to lead the internal medicine group at WVU in Charleston, but to strengthen our ties to CAMC and the community, and to provide leadership across the entire state in his specialty of caring for older patients. We have special health challenges everywhere in our state because of the demographic shift to an older population – and Dr. Chillag has a lifetime of experience in helping people in this stage of their lives.”