Ohio State Medical Hospital Directors

Manuel Tzagournis was the first medical director of the OSU hospitals before becoming the Acting Dean in 1980, then the Dean in 1981 until 1985, and finally the Vice President of Health Sciences in 1994 until 2002.

Hagop Mekhjian had his education at the American University of Beirut from which he got a BA in 1958 and his MD in 1962.  He did an internship and a Residency in Internal Medicine between 1961 and 1964 in his home country.  He continued his studies in the United States; in 1965 he did a residency in Gastroenterology at Lahey Clinic in Boston, and in 1966 did a Fellowship in Gastroenterology at Cincinnati General Hospital.  In 1967, he became a Research Assistant in Gastroenterology at the Mayo Clinic. Between 1970 and 1977, he served in the Army in Falls Church, Virginia.  He ascended the academic ladder from Assistant Professor of Medicine in 1969 to Professor in 1988 and Professor Emeritus in 2010.  He is licensed to practice medicine in the States of Florida and Ohio. He was the Medical Director of the Ohio State Hospitals between the years 1985 and 2010.  The Ohio State created an Endowed Lectureship in his name in 2015.  He authored or co-authored 132 papers in referee journals. He was an active researcher with 23 awards.  Hagop lives in Columbus, Ohio with his loving wife of 50 years Janice, their two children and their grandchildren.

Andrew Thomas, got a Bachelor degree in History and Science from Harvard University in 1991. He earned his MD degree from Ohio State University College of Medicine in 1995. It was the respect his grandparent had for their physians that inspire him to become a doctor.  Andy did an internal medicine residency at OSUMC from July 1995 to June 1998. He received a MBA from Fisher College of Medicine in 2000.  He was the Assistant Medical Director from 1999 to 2005, and Associate Director until 2010 and Medical Director at OSU Hospitals since 2013.  Dr. Thomas is Clinical Professor of Internal Medicine.  He has published 48 papers in peer-review journals.  His colleagues describe him as a collaborate, and thoughtful leader.  As the chief clinical officer of the Ohio State Wexner Medical Center, his role is the oversight of inpatient and outpatient services and assuring collaboration between departments.  Dr. Thomas still sees patients, something uncommon, but admirable for a busy administrator. I knew Andy since the time he was a medical resident.  He was intelligent and caring, and I will always remember what he told me when I converted Radiology to a filmless department, that its impact to the resident training and delivery of correct care was immense. Andy says that he has spent some of the best years of his adult life at Ohio State and in Columbus, with his wife Lisa and their three children. 

OSUMC is fortunate to have had leaders like Drs. Manuel Tzagournis, Hagop Mehkjian and and Andrew Thomas 

                                     Authored by D. G. Spigos, MD

                        Professor Emeritus and former Chairman

                                  Department of Radiology 1992-2004

It is dedicated to Manuel, Hagop and Andy who in addition for being               colleagues were and have remained great friends for life.

OSU College of Medicine Deans

William J. Means was the first Dean of The Ohio State University's College of Medicine.  He was appointed in 1914, when the College of Medicine was established by combining the Starling-Ohio Medical College with the Ohio State University. Means also served as the first Chairman and Professor of the Department of Surgery until 1916.  Means received his medical education degree in 1874 from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, and held several positions at the Ohio Medical University, and Starling-Ohio Medical College before becoming the Dean.  Means Hall was built in 1951 and was named in his honor in 1968, and stands as a reminder for his contributions.

Eugene F. McCampbell received his BS and PHD degrees from the University of Chicago in 1911.  He received his M.D. degree from Rush Medical College in1912.  He was a member of the OSU College of Medicine faculty from 1914 to1917, and became the Dean of the College from 1917 until 1927. 

John H. Upham, was born in the State of New Jersey.  He obtained his M.D. degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1894. Upon graduation, he did a residency at Johns Hopkins at a time when notable physicians such as William Osler, William Halstead and William Welch among others were his teachers. Dr. Upham moved to Columbus in 1896. He was first hired as an Instructor in Medicine by Starling Medical College in 1897, and became an Associate Professor in 1902, and a Professor in 1908.  He joined the Ohio State College of Medicine in 1914, and spent the rest of his career at the OSU, until his retirement in 1941.  Upham Hall, was named to honor him, for his many contributions in the practice of medicine, and the education of medical students and young doctors.  

Charles A. Doan became the Dean in 1944.  He coordinated successfully the building of the University Hospital, which was completed and admitted patients on July 1, 1951. To the original hospital that is known as the "old hospital", six buildings have been added, and the complex is now designated by the Board of Trustees as the "University Hospitals."  Dr. Doan supported and financed the first commercial Nuclear Medicine camera which is now in the Smithsonian, in Washington DC. He and Dr. Meyer brought a medical cyclotron at Ohio State's campus along and a nuclear reactor.  Dr. Meyers produced and introduced at least six radionuclides in medicine.  The building of the University Hospital and the advances he Nuclear Medicine were notable accomplishments.

Richard L Meiling (1908-1984) was the leader at the OSUCM across multiple decades.  He was Professor and Dean of the College of Medicine and Director of the University Hospitals.  Dr. Meiling received his medical degree with honors at the University of Munich, Germany in 1937.  Upon completion of his medical education, he came to OSU in 1938.  He did a residency in Pathology and Obstetrics and Gynecology at Western Reserve University Hospital in Cleveland, and was board certified in both fields. He was a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.  He conducted original scientific work in the use of vitamin C, the application of Cobalt-60, and in the "air evacuation" of patients by the military.  His interest, in medical education, led him to receive many invitations as a consultant by several foreign governments, and overseas medical groups.  Meiling answered a call to serve, first with the Hoover Commission on National Security, and then as a consultant to the Secretary of Defense, in 1948.  The building that houses OSU medical school, was named after him, as a recognition for his contributions to OSU College of Medicine and the nation.

John A. Prior (1913-1992) was Professor Emeritus and Associate Dean for the Ohio State's College of Medicine.  Doctor Prior received both his BA and MD degrees from the Ohio State's College of Medicine.  After an internship at Grant hospital, in Columbus, he did a residency in Internal Medicine and a Fellowship in Pulmonary Diseases at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine.  He was recognized nationally for his expertise in the area of chest diseases especially in tuberculosis and histoplasmosis. Dr. Prior chaired the committee that was responsible for the design and creation of the Health Sciences Library, which was named "John A. Prior Health Sciences Library" in his honor on September 1, 1988.

Henry G. Cramblett (1929-2018) received his medical degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1953.  Dr. Cramblett came to OSUCM in 1966 as the Chairman of the Department of Medical Microbiology.  He was the Dean of the College of Medicine between the years of 1973 and 1980.  He was instrumental in the opening of the Outpatient Clinic in 1974, a building that was named after him.  It was Dr. Cramblett who established the relationship between Ohio State and the Nationwide Children Hospital which is nationally recognized for advanced care.  Dr. Cramblett received the distinguished Service Award by the State Medical Board. 

Manuel Tzagournis was born in 1934 in Youngstown, Ohio and received his BS and MD degrees from Ohio State University.  He was the son of Adam and Argyro Tzagournis, who were immigrants from the Greek island of Crete.  In 1961, while doing an internship at the Philadelphia General Hospital, he became interested in diabetes mellitus, which led him to practice endocrinology.  Tzagournis served as a National Institute of Health, principal investigator, at its General Clinical Research Center. He was responsible for the unit that studies patients with metabolic diseases.  Tzagournis held numerous positions at OSU including Assistant Dean for Research and Continuing Medical Education; Secretary of the Faculty of the College of Medicine; Associate Dean; Medical Director of the OSU Hospital; Acting Dean in1980; Dean (1981-1995); Vice President for Health Sciences (1994-2002); and Vice President and later President of the University's Managed Care System.  Tzagournis is known for having produced an amiable resolution of the dispute about the practice plan, and for maintaining a good relationship between the alumni, and the practicing physicians.  I was recruited by Dr. Tzagournis, who was affectionately known as "Manny", his nickname.  As many faculty from all departments will testify, he considered and treated all faculty as members of his family.  In 1999, The Ohio State University, honored Dr. Tzagournis for his many contributions in the field of medicine, naming a new building that houses research laboratories as " The Tzagournis Medical Research Facility". 

                 Authored by D. G. Spigos MD and John Olsen MD

                         Emeritus Professors at The Ohio State University 

                        

 

This post is dedicated to Dr. W Willoughby, Mr. Sterling, and the Deans mentioned in this post, for their tireless efforts that made Ohio State     School of Medicine the preeminent medical school, it is today.