Craig Kent

Craig Kent, MD, has spent the last three decades advancing health system leadership through a steady focus on improving patient access, raising the standard of care, and offering specialized treatment to patients facing the most complex medical challenges. Throughout his career, he has led efforts in both clinical care and research while also contributing to the development of future medical professionals through national roles dedicated to education and leadership in healthcare.

In each of the institutions he has served, Dr. Craig Kent has brought strategic direction and operational improvement. He served as Division Chief in Vascular Surgery at Columbia and Cornell, as well as leading the Vascular Service line for New York-Presbyterian Hospital. His work continued as Chair of the Department of Surgery at The University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. He then moved into senior leadership roles at Ohio State University, where he served as Dean of the College of Medicine, Vice President of Health Sciences, and Co-Health System leader. He most recently served as Executive Vice President of Health Affairs and CEO of the University of Virginia Health System.

He was inducted into the National Academy of Medicine, a reflection of his ongoing research and clinical work. Dr. Kent has also held national leadership positions, including President of the Society for Vascular Surgery, President of the Society of Surgical Chairs, and Chair of the American Board of Surgery.

Dr. Kent has maintained long-term research funding from the National Institutes of Health for over 30 years and has chaired the Surgery and Bioengineering study section and other committees at the NIH. His research covers a range of subjects, from the biological basis of vascular disease to broader topics like healthcare outcomes. His work has led to the publication of 360 peer-reviewed articles and 65 books and chapters covering surgical education, clinical outcomes, healthcare leadership, and vascular surgery. Notable publications include those in the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.

In addition to publishing, Dr. Kent has contributed to editorial work through roles with the Annals of Vascular Surgery, Contemporary Surgery, and Haimovici’s Vascular Surgery and has served on editorial boards for several respected journals.

He has also been active as a speaker, having presented as a Visiting Professor or Keynote Speaker at over 120 academic institutions around the globe. His role as CEO at UVA Health saw marked progress. During his tenure, annual system revenue grew from $2.5 billion to $4.7 billion. Access to care and clinical service delivery nearly doubled, and quality indicators reached their highest levels in a decade. Employee satisfaction rose more than 15 percent, even during challenging conditions brought on by the pandemic and staffing issues.

Recruitment during this time brought over 500 new physicians and faculty to the system. UVA Health expanded its reach by acquiring hospitals and physician groups across Virginia, becoming a minority partner in a five-hospital system in Eastern Virginia, and purchasing a multi-specialty group practice. The School of Medicine at UVA experienced a $60 million increase in research funding, and Craig Kent oversaw the launch of the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, scheduled to open in 2026.

He also helped increase philanthropy, raising more than $650 million for UVA Health and reaching a billion-dollar campaign goal. At Ohio State, Dr. Kent oversaw 2100 faculty members and a large physician group, increasing NIH funding, hiring over 400 new faculty, introducing a new compensation structure, and expanding facilities and clinical services. Philanthropic efforts there raised $200 million annually.

At the University of Wisconsin, he doubled both the size of the surgery department and its surgical activity, moving the NIH ranking from 26th to 5th nationally. After the merger of New York and Presbyterian Hospitals, he led the unified vascular surgery divisions at Columbia and Cornell, developing one of the strongest academic vascular programs in the country.

Dr. Kent’s honors include becoming an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and holding full professorships at several other institutions. He was inducted into Alpha Omega Alpha and received awards such as the Fred and Ester Nusz Annual Achievement Award, the Harold Bengloff Award, and the E. J. Wylie Traveling Fellowship. He has also been consistently recognized as a Top Doctor and Best Doctor during his clinical career.

His academic background includes a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, San Francisco. He completed residency and fellowship training at UCSF, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, the Cleveland Clinic, and Harvard School of Public Health. He has held medical licenses in Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia.

Craig Kent is a member of various professional groups, including the American College of Surgeons, American Heart Association, Society for Vascular Surgery, American Surgical Association, Society of Surgical Chairs, International Surgical Group, American Board of Surgery, Blue Ridge Academic Health Group, and the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators.