John H. Sampson, MD, the Robert H., M.D. and Gloria Wilkins Professor of Neurosurgery and chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, stepped down from his position as chair on March 5, 2020, to become president of the Duke Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) in a full-time capacity. He has served as interim president of the PDC since 2018 while continuing to serve as department chair. Allan Friedman, MD, will serve as interim chair of the Department of Neurosurgery.
Dr. Sampson has served as chair of the Department of Neurosurgery since 2015, when the department was elevated from division to department status. During his tenure as chair, the department grew by 25 faculty. It currently ranks fourth in the nation for federal research funding among neurosurgery departments. Research funding in the department has more than doubled in the last five years, with 13 faculty members awarded a total of more $13 million in 2019.
Dr. Friedman is the Guy L. Odom Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery. He served as chief of the Division of Neurosurgery for 18 years, stepping down in 2014. He has played a key role in establishing Duke as one of the premier neurosurgery services in the United States.