Craig Kent

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Craig Kent

Craig Kent, MD, has built a 30-year career rooted in health system leadership, driven by a consistent mission to expand patient access, deliver high-quality care, and treat patients with complex medical needs. Through his roles in academic medicine, clinical leadership, and scientific research, he has made significant contributions to institutional development, national health initiatives, and the education of future healthcare professionals.

Dr. Craig Kent began his leadership in surgery as Division Chief of Vascular Surgery at Columbia and Cornell, where he also managed the Vascular Service line for NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He later became Chair of the Department of Surgery at The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. At Ohio State University, he served as Dean of the College of Medicine, Vice President for Health Sciences, and Co-Leader of the Health System. Most recently, he held the position of Executive Vice President of Health Affairs and CEO at the University of Virginia Health System.

His work in healthcare leadership and research has been recognized by his induction into the National Academy of Medicine. He has also held national leadership roles, serving as President of the Society for Vascular Surgery, President of the Society of Surgical Chairs, and Chair of the American Board of Surgery, reflecting his contributions to shaping surgical education and clinical standards nationwide.

Dr. Kent’s research career spans over three decades and has been continuously supported by the National Institutes of Health. He chaired the NIH’s Surgery and Bioengineering study section and participated in several other NIH review groups. His research includes work on vascular disease at the molecular level, as well as healthcare quality and patient outcomes. His scholarly contributions include 360 peer-reviewed articles and 65 books and book chapters, with his work published in leading journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In addition to his research output, Craig Kent has made significant contributions to the field through his editorial service. He has served as editor or associate editor for the Annals of Vascular Surgery, Contemporary Surgery, and Haimovici’s Vascular Surgery. He has also been a member of the editorial boards of numerous peer-reviewed journals, supporting the advancement of surgical knowledge and practice.

Craig Kent, MD, has delivered over 120 keynote addresses and visiting professorships at academic medical centers worldwide. During his time as CEO at UVA Health, the system experienced notable growth. Under his leadership, annual revenue increased from $2.5 billion to $4.7 billion. Clinical access and care delivery nearly doubled, and quality metrics reached their highest levels in a decade. Despite national challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and staffing shortages, employee satisfaction among more than 18,000 staff improved by over 15 percent.

Dr. Kent also led UVA Health through an ambitious statewide expansion. The system acquired three hospitals and a physician group in Northern Virginia, became a minority stakeholder in a five-hospital system in Eastern Virginia, and purchased a multi-specialty group. Research funding at the UVA School of Medicine increased by $60 million, and he played a central role in launching the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, which is expected to open in 2026.

His impact extended to philanthropic development as well. Craig Kent helped raise over $650 million in support of a $1 billion capital campaign, tripling the health system’s philanthropic revenue. At Ohio State, he led a faculty of 2,100 and a physician group comprising more than 1,200 clinicians. His tenure was marked by increased NIH funding, the recruitment of over 400 new faculty members, a newly structured compensation model, and a $200 million annual increase in philanthropic growth.

While at the University of Wisconsin, he led efforts to double the size and volume of the Department of Surgery and helped the department rise from 26th to 5th nationally in NIH research funding. Following the merger of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitals, he also led the combined vascular surgery programs at Columbia and Cornell, helping to build one of the largest and most successful academic vascular surgery programs in the country.

Dr. Kent has received numerous honors throughout his academic and clinical career. He served as Associate Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School and has held professorships at Columbia, Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, The Ohio State University, and the University of Virginia. His awards include induction into Alpha Omega Alpha at UCSF, the Fred and Ester Nusz Annual Achievement Award, the Harold Bengloff Award for excellence in teaching, and the E. J. Wylie Traveling Fellowship from the Society for Vascular Surgery. He has also earned multiple Top Doctor and Best Doctor recognitions for his clinical service.

Portfolio Website: https://craig-kent.com
Portfolio Website: https://drcraigkent.com

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