MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Don K. Nakayama, M.D., M.B.A., has been named the new chair of the West Virginia University School of Medicine Department of Surgery.
“We were fortunate to have attracted several leaders of American surgery to visit and look at the opportunity to become the next chair of our department. Among them, Dr. Nakayama stood out as the best,” Arthur J. Ross III, M.D., M.B.A., dean of the School of Medicine said. “A remarkable and highly honored researcher and educator, he is nationally recognized as a pre-eminent pediatric surgeon. Moreover, because Dr. Nakayama currently serves as the chair of surgery at another medical school, he brings to WVU a wealth of experience in the management and leadership of a department of surgery. He will also bring needed new skills, much energy and an exciting vision to WVU and the people of West Virginia.”
Nakayama is currently the chair of the Department of Surgery and the Milford B. Hatcher Professor of Surgery at the Mercer University School of Medicine in Macon, Ga. He also serves as the General Surgery Residency Program director at the Medical Center of Central Georgia.
“I am looking forward to joining the WVU Healthcare team to provide medical services to the people and communities of the state,” Nakayama said.
Nakayama’s previous academic and administrative leadership positions have included the University of North Carolina and the University of Pittsburgh, where he was on the faculty at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC.
A graduate of Stanford University, Nakayama earned his medical degree from the University of California, San Francisco, and then stayed at UCSF for a residency in general surgery and a research fellowship in fetal surgery. Nakayama also completed a fellowship in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. He later earned his M.B.A. from the University of North Carolina.
“Dr. Nakayama will be a great addition to the WVU Healthcare leadership team,” WVU Hospitals President and CEO Bruce McClymonds said. “He brings strong leadership skills and a clear vision for the Department of Surgery and the surgical programs at WVU.”
Judie Charlton, M.D., School of Medicine vice dean for clinical affairs and WVU Healthcare chief medical officer, added, “Dr. Nakayama has a strong track record of creating a vision, executing a plan and achieving success. We are pleased that he has chosen West Virginia as his next opportunity, and we look forward to partnering with him to improve healthcare, especially for the children of West Virginia.”
Nakayama is scheduled to join the School of Medicine later this summer.
