Announcing the retirement of Harold Fox

Dear Colleagues:

After 16 years of distinguished service as director of the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Harold Fox has decided to relinquish the reins of this exceptional group of physicians, researchers and teachers. He will retire at the end of this academic year.

Recruited to Hopkins from George Washington University in 1996 to be the Dr. Dorothy Edwards Professor and head of Hopkins’ GYN/OB, Dr. Fox is an acclaimed expert on fetal health, particularly for mothers with HIV, and high-risk obstetrical patients. As head of GYN/OB, Dr. Fox worked with faculty and staff to develop it into one of the nation’s finest such departments. He has participated actively in the maternal-fetal medicine division. It has the unique distinction of providing not only superb maternal-fetal medicine and intrauterine diagnostic and interventive care, but also in-depth, cutting edge investigations into the relationship between genetics and the practice of high-risk obstetrics.

Dr. Fox has overseen the growth of the department’s divisions including the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery division, the division of gynecologic specialties, and the Howard A. Kelly Gynecologic Oncology Service.

Dedicated to improving the outcome of pregnancy and advancing women's health care, Dr. Fox has pursued important research in fetal physiology and HIV investigations that has led to the significant reduction in the transmission of HIV. Most recently, Dr. Fox has been actively involved in the improvement of patient safety in obstetrics working with several other academic medical centers. He has published almost 100 peer reviewed scientific papers and countless abstracts and served as editor of Hopkins’ resident handbook in gynecology and obstetrics. He has been a recipient of numerous awards, including the distinguished service award from the Sloane Hospital for Women at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.

I would like to thank Julie Freischlag, director of the Department of Surgery, who will lead the formidable task of finding Dr. Fox’s successor along with Janice Clements, vice dean for faculty, who will serve as vice chair of the search committee. These efforts will begin in the coming months and Dr. Fox will remain as head of GYN/OB until the end of the academic year. When he retires he will remain an active member of the faculty and will continue to pursue his academic interests in GYN/OB.

Please join me in expressing gratitude to him for his many achievements as department director.

Sincerely,

Paul B. Rothman, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine
 
Ronald R. Peterson
President
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine