Charleston Surgeon Bryan Richmond Named Chair of Department of Surgery at WVU School of Medicine Charleston Campus

Bryan K. Richmond, M.D., M.B.A., F.A.C.S., professor of surgery at West Virginia University School of Medicine Charleston Campus has been named chair of the campus’s department of surgery effective May 1, 2020. Richmond has been serving as interim chair since earlier in the year.

Dr. Richmond was also recently named Chief Medical Officer for WVU Physicians of Charleston’s (WVUPC) clinical operations. In this important role, he will be overseeing all WVUPC clinical operations and is the medical lead representing WVUPC in the COVID-19 crisis and in communications with Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC), where he is section chief of general surgery.

“It has been a longstanding goal of mine to hold this position,” Dr. Richmond said. “I have a great love for West Virginia, for WVU, and for all the good we do here at CAMC. The training I received here as a resident under Dr. James Boland and his faculty has been invaluable to me and the opportunity to try to follow in his footsteps as best I can is truly an honor and a challenge that I am proud to take on.”

In 2018, Dr. Richmond was appointed to an endowed position as the inaugural William J. Maier, Jr. Chair of Research at West Virginia University’s Charleston campus.

Charleston’s Maier Foundation donations and matching gifts from the West Virginia Research Trust Fund and other sources created a more than 2.3 million dollar trust to support basic scientific research addressing the health needs of West Virginians, focusing on early detection, improved treatments and technological advances that will ultimately improve outcomes for patients.

The endowment was an accolade for a faculty member whose leadership skills, professionalism and passion for research serves to inspire students, residents and faculty peers to pursue their research interests and to advance research for the WVU Charleston Campus.

"Dr. Richmond has shown great leadership as a physician, as an interim chair and as a colleague," Clay Marsh, M.D., vice president and executive dean for WVU Health Sciences, said. "As our Charleston Campus Division of Surgery continues to emphasize research, education and training, I can think of no one better suited to lead this charge."

Dr. Richmond joined the WVU School of Medicine, Charleston Campus in 2005. Upon his arrival he was named Section chief - General Surgery Charleston Area Medical Center, Department of Surgery and remains so today.

Graduating Summa cum laude from WVU School of Medicine in Morgantown, West Virginia and holding a MBA - Summa cum laude from WVU, Dr. Richmond completed his residency in General Surgery at WVU Charleston Campus and Charleston Area Medical Center.

Dr. Richmond is well recognized locally and nationally as is evident from his service as a reviewer for multiple surgical journals, his impressive list of publications and his local and national lectures.

“It has been a pleasure to have known and worked with Professor Richmond for many years,” said John C. Linton, PhD, ABPP, associate vice president for health sciences and dean of the WVU School of Medicine Charleston Campus. “He is a highly skilled surgeon, wise and universally respected locally and nationally. When it came time to select a leader for our department of surgery in Charleston as chair, for so many reasons Dr. Richmond was the clear and logical choice. His reputation as an administrator, clinician, scholar and his engaging interpersonal integrity and judgment make him all a chair should be. We are honored that he has accepted this assignment, and he has already made impressive strides to move the department forward with his remarkable colleagues in surgery. We are pleased and proud to have Dr. Bryan Richmond at the helm.”

David Perry, vice-president for finance and administration for the WVU Charleston campus and WVUPC shared his colleague’s recognition of Dr. Richmond’s important work in these new academic and clinical roles.

“There’s an old quote that pessimists complain about the wind, optimists wait for it to change, and leaders adjust the sails.” Perry said. “Bryan is a natural leader and captain and since I’ve worked with him he never presents a problem without presenting a potential solution that he’s gleaned from frontline experience. He always proceeds as if failure isn’t an option and these official appointments are somewhat of a formality because he’s been a stabilizing force within the practice plan and the Department of Surgery for many years. I look forward to working with him as he begins to implement his vision for academic surgery and the overall clinical practices on our campus.”