Chitwood receives pair of recognitions

Dr. W. Randolph Chitwood Jr., a cardiovascular surgeon at East Carolina University, has been inducted as an honorary member in the German Society for Thoracic, Heart and Vascular Surgery and is featured in a national academic publication. 

Chitwood, professor of cardiovascular sciences at the Brody School of Medicine and senior associate vice chancellor for health sciences at ECU, received the honor Feb. 12 in Freiburg, Germany.

Chitwood received the award from Dr. Frederich W. Mohr of the University of Leipzig. Mohr spoke of Chitwood’s worldwide influence on the development of less invasive cardiac surgery as well as his long-standing relationship with many German cardiac surgeons and surgical centers. Chitwood worked with specialists in Germany to develop the tools and techniques that led to robotic heart surgery in the United States. 

Chitwood delivered his acceptance speech in German to the delight of the audience. 

Chitwood is also featured in a member spotlight in the spring 2012 Forum, a publication of the academic honor Society Phi Kappa Phi. The publication noted that Chitwood was the first surgeon in North America to use robotics to repair mitral valves, is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and a 2004 Phi Kappa Phi National Scholar. The feature is online at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-admin/news/upload/pkpforum_chitwood.pdf.

Chitwood is the Eddie and Jo Allison Smith Distinguished Chair of Cardiovascular Sciences and director of the East Carolina Heart Institute.