Albany Medical Center makes history with its latest announcement of its new chief of surgery and chair of its Department of Surgery.

According to Albany Med, Dr. KMarie King is the first Black woman to be named chair of surgery at an academic health science center in the U.S.

The Atlanta surgeon, researcher, and professor — who will be taking over for Dr. Steve Stain — will begin the new role on Sept. 1.

Currently, Dr. King is a professor of surgery at Morehouse School of Medicine and serves as the chief of surgery and medical director for surgical quality at Grady Memorial Hospital, a 960-bed hospital, and Level 1 trauma center located in Atlanta, GA.

Not only is she trained in the area of hepatobiliary and pancreas surgery, but Dr. King has also received multiple awards for her research in the areas of the liver and pancreatic cancers.

“Throughout her distinguished career, Dr. King has positioned herself as a proven leader in all areas of academic medicine, including patient care, medical education, and clinical research,” said Vincent Verdile, dean of Albany Medical College and senior executive vice president for system care delivery at Albany Med. “Her breadth of experience, strong clinical skills, and business acumen, along with her commitment to quality, will serve her well as she leads and advances Albany Med’s surgical services.”

Dr. King earned a master’s degree in biomedical science and also completed her fellowship training at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Her residency training in general surgery and research fellowship was completed at the University of Pittsburgh.

She received her medical degree at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The Atlanta surgeon also holds a master’s in business management from Brandeis University In Massachusetts.

Coupled with her studies, Dr. King also holds memberships in the American College of Surgeons and the board of trustees of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract.

Today, she serves as a program chair for the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons and the Society of Black Academic Surgeons.

Albany Medical Center

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