Nigerian doctor appointed surgeon-in-chief of top US hospital

Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio, the United States, has appointed Oluyinka Olutoye, a Nigerian medical doctor, as its surgeon-in-chief.

The hospital is named among the top 10 best children’s hospitals according to the U.S. News & World Report of 2019-20.

Olutoye, a general pediatric surgeon with a medical degree from Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria, will also be appointed professor and the E. Thomas Boles chair of pediatric surgery at The Ohio State University (OSU) College of Medicine.

Richard Brilli, managing director and chief medical officer at the hospital, expressed joy at the appointment of Olutoye.

He said the experience of the Nigerian doctor will further advance surgical operations in the hospital.

“We are tremendously delighted to welcome Dr. Olutoye to Nationwide Children’s Hospital to further elevate the visibility and reputation of one of the best overall children’s surgical programs in the country that, through its clinical care and research, is forging the future of children’s surgery,” he said.

“Having a world-renowned fetal and pediatric surgeon join our leadership team will further advance Nationwide Children’s commitment to establishing a preeminent fetal surgery program.”

Olutoye served as co-director of the Fetal Center and the immediate past president of the medical staff at Texas Children’s Hospital.

He also served as a tenured professor of surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, and pediatrics, and chair of the faculty senate at Baylor College of Medicine, in Houston, Taxas.

In his remark, the Nigerian medical doctor said joining the hospital is an opportunity to further help children across the world.

“Nationwide Children’s Hospital is respected nationally for building outstanding integrated research and clinical programs, its seminal work in healthcare quality and patient safety, and as a leader in improving pediatric health outcomes,” he said.

“This is a very opportune time to be joining the organization as we build upon the already impressive success of our surgical services to help children around the country and increasingly around the world. I look forward to the privilege of leading and collaborating with this team in the next phase of our journey.”

Olutoye is certified by the American Board of Surgery in Surgery and Pediatric Surgery.

He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the West African College of Surgeons.

He is also a member of the American Surgical Association, the American Pediatric Surgical Association and past president of the International Fetal Medicine and Surgery Society.

The appointment of Olutoye was effective August 1st.