History of the Department of Internal Medicine
Dr. William Branch Porter
The School of Medicine's largest clinical department was first organized in 1926 with the appointment of Dr. William Branch Porter as the chair. Dr. Porter began his role the following year in 1927 and served for 29 years before retiring in 1956. He was succeeded by W. Taliaferro Thompson, Jr., MD.
Dr. W. Taliaferro Thompson, Jr.
Under Dr. Thompson's leadership, twelve divisions were cultivated in 1966, ten of which still form the core part of the academic programs and services offered in the Department of Internal Medicine today. In 1966, the Veterans Affairs Medical Center was affiliated as a teaching hospital primarily through shared Internal Medicine programs and faculty. Dr. Thompson retired in 1973 after serving for fourteen years.
Dr. Harold J. Fallon
With the appointment of its third Department Chair, Harold J. Fallon, MD in 1974, significant divisional program changes were undertaken involving eight of the twelve original divisions. In addition, four new divisions were implemented and a tremendous effort was initiated in the area of sponsored research with significant gains made in NIH funded areas.
The University Board of Visitors approved a name change for the department in 1982 formally changing the name from the Department of Medicine to the Department of Internal Medicine. Following Dr. Fallon's retirement in 1993, Vice Department Chair Hermes A. Kontos, MD, Ph.D. was named Interim Chair for one year in 1993. Dr. Kontos went on to become Dean of the Medical School while Dr. Shaun Ruddy, assumed the post of Interim Chair in 1994.
Dr. Richard P. Wenzel
In September of 1995 the fourth and current Chair, Dr. Richard P. Wenzel, was appointed. Immediately upon his arrival, Dr. Wenzel established new programs and leadership by developing the first Division of Quality Health Care in academic medicine and forming a broader leadership structure for the Department of Medicine. The department is now comprised of a Department Vice Chair, an Associate Chair for Research, an Associate Chair for Clinical Affairs, an Associate Chair for Education, and an Associate Chair for Information Systems. Dr. Wenzel was also instrumental in developing the University's Institute for Outcomes Research and Institute for Clinical Trials in 1997.
In 2003 he was elected President of MCV Physicians, and in 2005 was named Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs.
