Features | Profiles

Dr. Alexander Geha’s Lifetime of Service

Fall 2019/Winter 2020

A celebrated cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Alexander S. Geha (BS ’55, MD ’59) has been affiliated with the University of Vermont (1967–69), Washington University in St. Louis (1969–75), Yale University (1975–86), Case Western Reserve University (1986–98), the University of Illinois at Chicago (1998–2006), and UC San Diego (since 2006). He has published widely and is the co-editor of Glenn’s Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and the House Officer’s Guide to ICU Care: Fundamentals of Management of the Heart and Lungs. He is proudest, however, of the 60 residents he has trained over the years: 10 were AUB graduates. 

Many AUB legends have played important roles in Geha’s life, including Dr. Joseph McDonald, who was then dean of the School of Medicine. “He was my preceptor during my first year as a medical student. He used to take us first-year medical students with him—there were just four of us—on rounds every Saturday. It was during those rounds that I got interested in surgery.”

Over the years, Geha has generously supported many initiatives at the university, including scholarships and awards. In 2005, he established the Alexander S. Geha, MD Endowed Lectureship, which he continues to support. “I have always been grateful to AUB for providing me with the educational and academic backgrounds I needed to succeed. I think it is important for alumni to support AUB,” he says.

On October 29, 2019, the members of the Surgical Alumni Association of North America (AUB-SAANA) recognized Geha, selecting him to receive both the Academic Achievement and Outstanding Service Awards. “It was a wonderful and very special evening for me,” Geha says, “and especially meaningful to be recognized in this way by my fellow AUB surgeons.”