Craig Kent, MD, has spent the past 30 years dedicated to health system leadership, always working to improve patient access, ensure consistent delivery of high-quality care, and treat individuals facing the most complex medical challenges. His work spans academic medicine, scientific research, and executive roles in some of the country’s most well-regarded healthcare institutions.
Dr. Craig Kent began his leadership in academic surgery as Division Chief of Vascular Surgery at Columbia and Cornell, where he also directed the Vascular Service line at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He went on to become 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 served as Executive Vice President of Health Affairs and CEO of the University of Virginia Health System.
Dr. Kent’s influence in the field has been recognized with induction into the National Academy of Medicine. In addition to his institutional leadership, he has served nationally as President of the Society for Vascular Surgery, President of the Society of Surgical Chairs, and Chair of the American Board of Surgery—roles that reflect his continued service to the profession at a broad level.
His research career has spanned over three decades, supported continuously by the National Institutes of Health. He has chaired the Surgery and Bioengineering study section and participated in numerous review committees. His research covers a wide spectrum, from basic science on vascular disease mechanisms to healthcare delivery and quality. He has published 360 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to 65 books and book chapters, including work in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Craig Kent has also played a role in academic publishing through editorial contributions. He has served as editor or associate editor for the Annals of Vascular Surgery, Contemporary Surgery, and Haimovici’s Vascular Surgery. Additionally, he has served on the editorial boards of numerous peer-reviewed medical journals throughout his career.
Craig Kent, MD, has been invited to speak as a Visiting Professor or Keynote Speaker at more than 120 academic medical centers worldwide. As CEO of UVA Health, he led a major expansion of the organization. During his leadership, revenue grew from $2.5 billion to $4.7 billion, while access to care and clinical delivery nearly doubled. Quality outcomes reached their highest levels in a decade, and staff satisfaction increased by more than 15 percent despite the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic and national staffing shortages.
Dr. Kent oversaw the statewide expansion of UVA Health, which included the acquisition of three hospitals and a physician group in Northern Virginia, a minority investment in a five-hospital system in Eastern Virginia, and the purchase of a large multi-specialty group. He also led efforts to grow research funding at the UVA School of Medicine by $60 million and spearheaded the development of the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, which is set to open in 2026.
He significantly advanced philanthropy during his tenure, helping raise over $650 million and achieving UVA Health’s goal within a $1 billion capital campaign. At Ohio State, he led a faculty of 2,100 and managed a physician group comprising more than 1,200 clinicians. His time there included increased NIH funding, the recruitment of over 400 faculty members, compensation reform, major facility expansion, and annual philanthropic support totaling $200 million.
At the University of Wisconsin, Craig Kent led the Department of Surgery to double in both size and surgical volume. He helped improve the department’s NIH ranking from 26th to 5th nationally. Earlier in his career, following the merger of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitals, he led the unified vascular surgery programs at Columbia and Cornell, creating one of the country’s most well-established academic vascular surgery divisions.
Dr. Kent has been recognized with several academic and clinical honors. He served as an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and held professorships at Columbia, Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, The Ohio State University, and the University of Virginia. His recognitions include induction into Alpha Omega Alpha at UCSF, the Fred and Ester Nusz Annual Achievement Award, the Harold Bengloff Award for teaching excellence, and the E. J. Wylie Traveling Fellowship from the Society for Vascular Surgery. He has also received numerous Top Doctor and Best Doctor honors throughout his clinical career.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, San Francisco. His postdoctoral training includes surgical residency at UCSF, a vascular research fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an endovascular fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, and executive leadership development at the Harvard School of Public Health. His medical licensure has been issued in Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia.
Dr. Kent remains actively engaged in the professional community through membership in 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.
Dr. Craig Kent began his leadership in academic surgery as Division Chief of Vascular Surgery at Columbia and Cornell, where he also directed the Vascular Service line at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. He went on to become 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 served as Executive Vice President of Health Affairs and CEO of the University of Virginia Health System.
Dr. Kent’s influence in the field has been recognized with induction into the National Academy of Medicine. In addition to his institutional leadership, he has served nationally as President of the Society for Vascular Surgery, President of the Society of Surgical Chairs, and Chair of the American Board of Surgery—roles that reflect his continued service to the profession at a broad level.
His research career has spanned over three decades, supported continuously by the National Institutes of Health. He has chaired the Surgery and Bioengineering study section and participated in numerous review committees. His research covers a wide spectrum, from basic science on vascular disease mechanisms to healthcare delivery and quality. He has published 360 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to 65 books and book chapters, including work in high-impact journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Craig Kent has also played a role in academic publishing through editorial contributions. He has served as editor or associate editor for the Annals of Vascular Surgery, Contemporary Surgery, and Haimovici’s Vascular Surgery. Additionally, he has served on the editorial boards of numerous peer-reviewed medical journals throughout his career.
Craig Kent, MD, has been invited to speak as a Visiting Professor or Keynote Speaker at more than 120 academic medical centers worldwide. As CEO of UVA Health, he led a major expansion of the organization. During his leadership, revenue grew from $2.5 billion to $4.7 billion, while access to care and clinical delivery nearly doubled. Quality outcomes reached their highest levels in a decade, and staff satisfaction increased by more than 15 percent despite the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic and national staffing shortages.
Dr. Kent oversaw the statewide expansion of UVA Health, which included the acquisition of three hospitals and a physician group in Northern Virginia, a minority investment in a five-hospital system in Eastern Virginia, and the purchase of a large multi-specialty group. He also led efforts to grow research funding at the UVA School of Medicine by $60 million and spearheaded the development of the Paul and Diane Manning Institute of Biotechnology, which is set to open in 2026.
He significantly advanced philanthropy during his tenure, helping raise over $650 million and achieving UVA Health’s goal within a $1 billion capital campaign. At Ohio State, he led a faculty of 2,100 and managed a physician group comprising more than 1,200 clinicians. His time there included increased NIH funding, the recruitment of over 400 faculty members, compensation reform, major facility expansion, and annual philanthropic support totaling $200 million.
At the University of Wisconsin, Craig Kent led the Department of Surgery to double in both size and surgical volume. He helped improve the department’s NIH ranking from 26th to 5th nationally. Earlier in his career, following the merger of NewYork-Presbyterian Hospitals, he led the unified vascular surgery programs at Columbia and Cornell, creating one of the country’s most well-established academic vascular surgery divisions.
Dr. Kent has been recognized with several academic and clinical honors. He served as an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and held professorships at Columbia, Cornell, the University of Wisconsin, The Ohio State University, and the University of Virginia. His recognitions include induction into Alpha Omega Alpha at UCSF, the Fred and Ester Nusz Annual Achievement Award, the Harold Bengloff Award for teaching excellence, and the E. J. Wylie Traveling Fellowship from the Society for Vascular Surgery. He has also received numerous Top Doctor and Best Doctor honors throughout his clinical career.
He holds a Bachelor of Science from the University of Nevada, Reno, and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of California, San Francisco. His postdoctoral training includes surgical residency at UCSF, a vascular research fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, an endovascular fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic, and executive leadership development at the Harvard School of Public Health. His medical licensure has been issued in Massachusetts, New York, Wisconsin, Ohio, and Virginia.
Dr. Kent remains actively engaged in the professional community through membership in 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.
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