Robert Edward Gross (July 2, 1905 – October 11, 1988) was an American surgeon and a medical researcher. He performed early work in pediatric heart surgery at Boston Children's Hospital. Gross was president of the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, a member of the National Academy of Sciences and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
The National Academies Press called him "one of America's great pioneers of surgery". The New York Times said that he did "pioneering work in the field of cardiac surgery". According to his obituary in the New York Times, in 1938 Gross "performed the first surgical correction of one of the most common congenital heart disorders in children", referring to the ligation of the patent ductus. Ten years later he performed the first surgery to graft artery tissue from one person into another, thus making a leap in methods of repairing of damaged arteries. He also developed a method of cutting into a heart with a use of a plastic well that allowed to avoid a catastrophic loss of blood. Gross was a member of the National Academy of Sciences. He was also Surgeon-in-chief, cardiovascular surgery, Children's Hospital, Boston. Gross was a founder of the American Board of Surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He also was a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a board member of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Society of University Surgeons. In 1941 he coauthored "Abdominal Surgery of Infancy and Childhood" with Dr.William E Ladd. The book is considered a classic in surgical literature. Gross was elected to the American Pediatric Hall of Fame. The National Academies Press said that he "made many contributions that have altered the practice and understanding of surgery, pediatrics, and cardiology throughout the world".
Awards and distinctions
1951 - honorary D.Sc., Carleton College1959 - M.D., Honoris Causa, Louvain University1961 - M.D., Honoris Causa, Turin University1962 - honorary D.Sc., Suffolk University1963 - honorary D.Sc., University of Sheffield1984 - honorary D.Sc., Harvard University1953 - Honorary member, Reno Surgical Society1955 - Honorary member, Dallas Southern Clinical Society1956 - Honorary member, Buffalo Surgical Society1958 - Honorary appointment, American National Red Cross, North Shore chapter1961 - Honorary fellow, Spokane Surgical Society1967 - Honorary citation, Barnstable County chapter, Massachusetts Heart Association1959 - Officer of the Order of Leopold, Belgium1959 - Honorary officer of the International Red Cross, Belgium1960 - Honorary member, Pediatric Society of Guatemala1964 - Honorary member, La Bocedad de Cirurgia Pediatrica de Mexico1968 - Honorary member, Surgical Infantil Argentina Society1973 - Honorary fellow, Royal College of Surgeons of England1954-55 - Director, American Heart Association1958-60 - Director, American Heart Association1960 President, Massachusetts Heart Association1963-64 President, American Association for Thoracic Surgery1969-70 Board of directors, Massachusetts Heart Association1970-71 First president, American Pediatric Surgical Association1940 - E. Mead Johnson Award, American Academy of Pediatrics1940 - Rudolf Matas Vascular Surgery Award, Tulane University1954 - Children's Service Award, Toy Manufacturers of America1954 - Albert Lasker Award, American Public Health Association1956 - Roswell Park Gold Medal, Buffalo Surgical Society1957 - Gold Medal, Louisville Surgical Society1959 - Laeken Award, Brussels, Belgium1959 - Gold Medal, Detroit Surgical Association1959 - Albert Lasker Award, American Public Health Association1959 - Billroth Medal, New York Academy of Medicine1961 - Gold Medal Award, Golden Slipper Square Club of Philadelphia1962 - Award of the Brotherhood Temple Ohabei Shalom, Brookline1965 - William E. Ladd Medal Award, Surgical Section, American Academy of Pediatrics1965 - Gold Cross, Royal Order of the Phoenix of the Greek Government1968 - Denis Browne Gold Medal, British Association of Pediatric Surgeons1969 - Dr. Rodman E. Sheen and Thomas G. Sheen Award, American Medical Association1970 - Alfred Jurzykowski Medalist, New York Academy of Medicine citation with Dr. Farber and Dr. Neuhauser and the Children's Hospital Medical Center1970 - Henry Jacob Bigelow Memorial Medal1971 - Tina Award1973 - Distinguished Service Medal, American Surgical AssociationEducation and career
1927 - B.A., Carleton College1931 - M.D., Harvard University, Medical School1934-36, Instructor in pathology, Harvard Medical School1937-39, Instructor in surgery, Harvard Medical School1939-40, Junior associate in surgery, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital1939-42, Associate in surgery, Harvard Medical School1939-46, Associate visiting surgeon, Children's Hospital, Boston1940-46, Senior associate in surgery, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital1942-47, Assistant professor of surgery, Harvard Medical School1947-88, Ladd Professor of Children's Surgery, Harvard Medical School1947-67, Surgeon-in-chief, Children's Hospital, Boston1952, Surgeon-in-chief, pro-tempore, Ohio State University1967-72, Surgeon-in-chief, cardiovascular surgery, Children's Hospital, Boston