Department Chairs - Clinical
- Michael A. Belfort, M.D., Ph.D.
- Michael Coburn, M.D.
- Donald T. Donovan, M.D., F.A.C.S.
- Martin Grabois, M.D.
- Dan B. Jones, M.D.
- Mark W. Kline, M.D.
- Michel Elias Mawad, M.D.
- Eli M. Mizrahi, M.D.
- Charles A. Reitman, M.D.
- Raymond Sawaya, M.D.
- Stephen J. Spann, M.D.
- Maya S. Suresh, M.D.
- Robert F. Todd, III, M.D.
- David E. Wesson, M.D.
- Thomas M. Wheeler, M.D.
- John E. Wolf, Jr., M.D.
- Stuart C. Yudofsky, M.D.
Michael A. Belfort, M.D., Ph.D.
Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Dr. Michael A. Belfort is chair of the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology and Obstetrician and Gynecologist-in-Chief at Texas Children's Hospital. Dr. Belfort is an internationally recognized expert in maternal-fetal medicine and fetal intervention. His appointment was effective Jan. 1, 2011
Dr. Belfort most recently served as director of Perinatal Research, Fetal Therapy and Obstetric Telemedicine at HCA Healthcare in Nashville, TN, and as a professor in the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Utah School of Medicine. He previously served in Houston from 1994-1997 as director of labor and delivery and as director of obstetric intensive care at Ben Taub General Hospital, as well as an associate professor in the divisions of maternal-fetal medicine, hypertension and anesthesiology at BCM. His teaching experience also includes serving as an adjunct clinical professor at Yale University School of Medicine where he worked with Yale faculty in the development of their Fetal Intervention Program.
Dr. Belfort received his medical degree (MBBCH) at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, a Doctorate in Medicine (MD) at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, and his Ph.D. at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden. He completed two residencies in obstetrics and gynecology (one in Cape Town and one at BCM), trained in anesthesiology in South Africa, and did his fellowship in maternal fetal medicine at BCM.
Dr. Belfort is board certified in obstetrics and gynecology and maternal-fetal medicine by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He also holds obstetrics and gynecology specialist qualifications in South Africa, the United Kingdom and Canada. He has received numerous professional awards for his contributions to research, teaching and medical practice. Belfort has been an active member of professional societies all over the world and has written more than 175 scientific articles and textbook chapters, as well as presented more than 350 abstracts and poster presentations. He is an author/editor of several textbooks, including "Hypertension in Pregnancy," "Obstetric Clinical Algorithms, Preeclampsia" and "Critical Care Obstetrics."
Michael Coburn, M.D.
Chair, Scott Department of Urology
Michael Coburn, M.D., professor and chair of urology, holds the Carlton-Smith Chair in Urologic Education. He is also the Director of Education and Vice Chair for Academic Affairs in the department, as well as Chief of Urology Service at Ben Taub General Hospital.
Dr. Coburn received his M.D. from New York University School of Medicine. He completed his residency and a fellowship in male reproductive medicine and surgery at Baylor College of Medicine.
Coburn has been recognized as an outstanding teacher, and has received numerous education related awards. He was listed in Texas Monthly magazine as a “Super Doc” (2004-2007) and is the 2009 Chairman of the Academy of Distinguished Educators at BCM.
Coburn has authored numerous articles and chapters in books. He is a member of the Société International d'Urologie and of the Board of Directors of the Society of Genitourinary Reconstructive Surgeons (2008–2011). He is also a charter member of the Society of Urology Chairpersons and Program Directors and serves on the Resident Review Committee of the AMA Council on Medical Education (2007-2010).
Donald T. Donovan, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Interim Chair, Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
Dr. Donovan serves as interim chair of the Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology. Donovan attended medical school at Baylor College of Medicine and completed his Surgery and otolaryngology residency at Baylor as well. He completed a fellowship in Head and Neck Surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, St. Vincent's Hospital and Medical Center, in New York. His clinical interests include Head and neck tumors, laryngeal/voice disorders, endoscopic sinus surgery.
Martin Grabois, M.D.
Chair, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Martin Grabois, M.D., is professor and chair of the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Baylor. Grabois received his medical degree from Temple University School of Medicine.
He is chairman of the executive committee of the BCM/UTHMS (University of Texas-Houston Medical School) Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Alliance, a combined effort in the development of educational, clinical and research activities in the field in Houston. Grabois has received of a number of awards including the Distinguished Service Award in 1999 from the Southern Pain Society.
He is an oral examiner for the American Board of PM&R, Editor of Critical Reviews in PM&R, and a member of the editorial advisory board of the Journal of Back & Musculoskeletal Rehabilitation. He is also a member of the board of directors and a member at large of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.
Dan B. Jones, M.D.
Chair, Department of Ophthalmology
Dr. Dan B. Jones joined the Department of Ophthalmology at Baylor as associate professor in 1972, was promoted to professor of ophthalmology in 1978 and appointed as chair of the department in 1981. He is currently the Sid W. Richardson Professor, Distinguished Service Professor, and Margarett Root Brown Chair of Ophthalmology and chief of Ophthalmology Service of The Methodist Hospital and Ben Taub General Hospital.
In addition, he is dean of Clinical Affairs and board chair of Baylor MedCare, the full time faculty practice plan. He is also president and chairman of the Board of Baylor Eye Care Alliance Inc., a network of full time faculty and participating physician ophthalmologists in the greater Houston area. Prior to joining Baylor, Jones was assistant professor of ophthalmology from 1969 to 1971 and associate professor from 1971 to1972 in the Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.
Mark W. Kline, M.D.
Chair, Department of Pediatrics
Mark W. Kline, M.D., is chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Physician-in-Chief at Texas Children's Hospital. Kline graduated summa cum laude from Trinity University in San Antonio, graduated with honors from BCM in 1981 and completed residency training at BCM and Texas Children's in 1984. He served as the chief resident in pediatrics and was a postdoctoral fellow in pediatric infectious diseases. After serving as an assistant professor of pediatrics at St. Louis University School of Medicine for two years, he returned to BCM and Texas Children's, serving as an infectious diseases specialist.
Kline has been serving as a professor of pediatrics and head of the retrovirology section in the pediatrics department at BCM and chief of the Texas Children's Retrovirology Service since 1997. He founded the Baylor International Pediatric AIDS Initiative (BIPAI) at Texas Children's Hospital in 1996, and has led the organization in establishing programs in 14 countries.
Kline has authored more than 250 scientific articles and textbook chapters and has presented throughout the world on child health issues. He has earned many honors and awards, including the Association of American Medical Colleges Humanism in Medicine Award in 2002, the Medical Award of Excellence from Ronald McDonald House Charities in 2007 and the Distinguished Faculty Award of Baylor College of Medicine in 2007.
Michel Elias Mawad, M.D.
Chair, Department of Radiology
Dr. Michel Elias Mawad is chair and professor in the Department of Radiology. He graduated from the French School of Medicine in 1976.
He did a flexible residency at St. John's Episcopal Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y., and his diagnostic radiology residency at St. Luke's Hospital Center in New York, where he was chief resident from 1979-1980. He did a fellowship in neuroradiology at the Neurological Institute of New York at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center.
After serving as an assistant professor of radiology at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, he came to Baylor as a clinical assistant professor of radiology in 1984. He has served as director of neuroradiology since 1988.
He became a full professor in 1996 and currently serves as a professor in both the Departments of Radiology and Ophthalmology. He serves as a consulting radiologist at all of Baylor's affiliated hospitals as well as at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. He was named chair of the Department of Radiology in 2001.
Eli M. Mizrahi, M.D.
Chair, Department of Neurology
Dr. Eli M. Mizrahi, professor of neurology and pediatrics, was named chair of the Department of Neurology March 12, 2008. Dr. Mizrahi served as vice chair of the department and is head of the Peter Kellaway Section of Neurophysiology, director of the Baylor Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, and director of the Post Doctoral Fellowship Training Program in Clinical Neurophysiology. He also serves as chief of the neurophysiology service at St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital.
He graduated from the University of Miami School of Medicine and completed his pediatrics residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, his neurology residency at Stanford University School of Medicine and a post-doctoral fellowship in neurophysiology at BCM. Dr. Mizrahi joined the BCM faculty in 1982 and specializes in epilepsy, seizure disorders and neurophysiology.
Dr. Mizrahi is active in many professional societies including the Epilepsy Foundation of America, having served on the Board of Directors and as Chair, Professional Advisory Board; the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society, having served as president; and the American Epilepsy Society, currently serving on its Board of Directors. He currently serves on the editorial board of the Journal of Clinical Neurophysiology.
Charles A. Reitman, M.D.
Interim Chair, Department of Orthopedic Surgery
Charles A. Reitman, M.D., interim chair of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon specializing in spine surgery, with extensive experience in spine trauma and spinal disorders.
Dr. Reitman also serves as chief of the Orthopedic Surgery Service at Ben Taub General Hospital in Houston and Interim Director of the Trauma Fellowship Program.
As an academician, Dr. Reitman enjoys giving medical presentations at both the national and regional levels and has published many papers and articles relating to the spine. He is an active participant in Baylor College of Medicine's medical student, orthopedic residency and fellowship programs, providing invaluable teaching and mentoring.
His professional memberships include the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, American Medical Association, Harris County Medical Society, North American Spine Society, Texas Medical Association and Western Orthopedic Association.
Raymond Sawaya, M.D.
Chair, Department of Neurosurgery
Raymond Sawaya, M.D., is chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at BCM and at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, as well as director of M.D. Anderson's brain tumor center.
Sawaya received his medical degree from St. Joseph University in Beirut, Lebanon. His internship was at Beeckman-Downtown Hospital in New York City and his general surgery residency was at Upstate Medical Center State University of New York in Syracuse. He completed a pediatric neurosurgery residency at Children's Hospital Medical Center in Cincinnati and a neurosurgery residency at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. He was chief resident in neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital and completed a fellowship at the National Institutes of Health.
Sawaya's major interests are the care of primary and metastatic brain tumors, enhanced accessibility to and the safety of such surgery, and tumors of the third ventricle, brainstem and pineal region. He is enthusiastic about research ongoing in his own field, particularly that on the cutting edge such as gene therapy and stem cells. He also has hopes that the development of new drugs could result in gains in care for brain tumors.
Stephen J. Spann, M.D.
Chair, Department of Family and Community Medicine
Stephen Spann, M.D., serves as chair of the Department of Family and Community Medicine and Vice President for Primary Care Network Development.
Dr. Spann received his bachelor's degree at Baylor University and his medical degree at Baylor College of Medicine. He interned at Baylor affiliated hospitals and did his residency at Duke University School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, N.C.
He came back to Baylor 1997 to serve as professor and chair of the school's Department of Family and Community Medicine. Prior to that, he served as an instructor in family medicine at Bowman Gray School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. He served as an assistant and then associate professor of family medicine at the Oklahoma University Health Center in Oklahoma City. From 1990-1997, he served as professor and chairman of the Department of Family Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston.
Spann is the author and co-author of many professional articles in his field and has written chapters in texts on family medicine in both Spanish and English.
As Vice President for Primary Care Network Development, he is responsible for developing a strong referral base in Houston and the surrounding counties for the Faculty Group Practice.
Maya S. Suresh, M.D.
Chair, Department of Anesthesiology
Dr. Maya S. Suresh is a professor of anesthesiology, chair of the department of anesthesiology, and the Division Chief of Obstetric and Gynecologic Anesthesiology at Ben Taub General Hospital. She is a graduate of Gandhi Medical College, Osmania University, Hyderabad, India.
Dr. Suresh completed an anesthesiology residency at Medical College of Virginia, and an obstetric anesthesia fellowship and pediatric anesthesia subspecialty training at Boston Lying-In Hospital and Boston Children's Hospital respectively. She has served as an examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiologists. She initiated and started a fellowship program in obstetric anesthesia in 1994. She serves on the Board of Directors and the Education Committee of the Society of Airway Management and the Texas Society of Anesthesiologists’ Economics Committee.
Dr. Suresh has received numerous awards for both teaching and research. Her clinical and research interests include preeclampsia and vascular adaptations in normal pregnancy and with hypertension in pregnancy, and teaching airway management for difficult airways.
Robert F. Todd, M.D., Ph.D.
Chair, The Margaret M. and Albert B. Alkek Department of Medicine
Robert F. Todd, M.D., Ph.D., is a professor and the Margaret M. Alkek Distinguished Chair of the Department of Medicine.
Dr. Todd is an internationally recognized expert in cancer research, education and clinical care. Before joining BCM, Dr. Todd served on the faculty of Harvard Medical School, then joined the faculty of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI, where he served in several administration positions including Associate Vice President for Research for Heath Sciences and Chief of the Division of Hematology/Oncology in the Department of Internal Medicine. Most recently, he was the Frances and Victor Ginsberg Professor of Hematology/Oncology and interim chair of the Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Michigan.
Dr. Todd earned his undergraduate, medical and scientific doctorate degrees from Duke University in Durham, NC. His extensive training includes residency training at Peter Bent Brigham Hospital in Boston, a clinical fellowship in medicine at Harvard Medical School, a clinical fellowship in oncology at the Sidney Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and a postdoctoral fellowship in tumor immunology at SFCI.
Dr. Todd is board certified in internal medicine and medical oncology. His clinical interests include general oncology with special emphasis on gastrointestinal and lung cancers, and his research interests center on human immunobiology. Dr. Todd has written more than 150 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and more than 100 articles, book chapters, abstracts and other communications. He is an elected member of the American Society for Clinical Investigation and the Association of American Physicians. Dr. Todd is associate editor of the journal Translational Research, a publication for laboratory and clinical medicine.
David E. Wesson, M.D.
Interim Chair, Department of Surgery
David E. Wesson is the William J. Pokorny Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Chief of Pediatric Surgery in the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as Professor of Pediatrics. Since March 2011, Dr. Wesson has been serving as the interim chairman of the Michael E. DeBakey Department of Surgery at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also the Chief of the Pediatric Surgery Services at Texas Children's Hospital and Ben Taub General Hospital. Additionally, he holds appointments at The Methodist Hospital, The Women's Hospital of Texas and St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital.
Thomas M. Wheeler, M.D.
Chair, Department of Pathology and Immunology
Dr. Thomas M. Wheeler is a professor of pathology and urology and chair of the Department of Pathology and Immunology. Dr. Wheeler also serves as deputy chief of service at The Methodist Hospital and director of the pathology core of the SPORE in prostate cancer. He is a leading expert in prostate cancer diagnosis and research.
Dr. Wheeler completed both his medical degree and residency at BCM. He serves as a governor of the College of American Pathologists and is the 1999 recipient of the CAP Foundation's Herbert Lansky Memorial Award. He has held numerous leadership positions with the CAP, including as a member of the House of Delegates, chair of the Federal and State Affairs Committee and as a member of the Council on Government and Professional Affairs. In 2007 he received the George T. Caldwell, M.D., Distinguished Service Award from the Texas Society of Pathologists.
Dr. Wheeler is the author of many publications and has served as a reviewer or on the editorial board for numerous journals.
John E. Wolf, Jr., M.D.
Chair, Department of Dermatology
Dr. John E. Wolf, Jr., chair of the Department of Dermatology, is a graduate of Rice University and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. He completed a medical internship at Cornell University/Bellevue Hospital in New York City before serving two years as a Peace Corps physician in the Micronesian Islands. Wolf was subsequently a dermatology resident at the University of California in San Francisco, a fellow in tropical dermatology in Guadalajara, and senior registrar at St. John's Hospital for Diseases of the Skin in London, England.
Wolf is also chair of the Public Affairs Advisory Committee and serves on the steering committee of the History of Medicine Society.
Wolf has authored more than 150 publications and delivered more than 1,000 professional lectures.
Stuart C. Yudofsky, M.D.
Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Stuart C. Yudofsky, M.D., is the D.C. and Irene Ellwood Professor and chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He is the chief of Psychiatry Service at The Methodist Hospital and oversees academic activities in psychiatry at Ben Taub General Hospital, the Houston Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, St. Luke's Episcopal Hospital, Texas Children's Hospital and the DePelchin Children's Center.
Prior to moving to Houston in 1991, Yudofsky was professor and chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Chicago and chief of Psychiatric Services for the University of Chicago Hospital System. He was founding director of the psychiatry department of Allegheny General Hospital and director of psychiatric research at the Allegheny-Singer Research Institute. For 14 years, he was on the faculty of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he was vice chairman of the Department of Psychiatry, clinical director and deputy director of the New York State Psychiatric Institute.
For the past 12 years, he has been editor of The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences and the author/co-author of numerous scientific articles and book chapters. Yudofsky has been elected to the membership of numerous national honorary societies and is on the editorial boards of eight scientific journals.