Carl Schmidt, M.D., to join WVU Cancer Institute

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – WVU Medicine announced today that Carl Schmidt, M.D., a nationally recognized surgical oncologist specializing in cancers of the liver, pancreas, and stomach will join the WVU Cancer Institute in July.

“Dr. Schmidt is a gifted teacher who is committed to training practitioners at all levels. His new roles will give him the opportunity to maximize his positive influence on our Institute, University, and our state. I am looking forward to working with him again and doing good things together,” Richard Goldberg, M.D., director of the WVU Cancer Institute, said. “I am absolutely sure that he will be great for WVU, and WVU will be great for him. Clinically, he is an experienced and highly skilled hepatobiliary surgeon who makes patients and their families feel confident that he can help them when they need it most. He is a well-published researcher with an interest in quality of care who will help elevate our work.”

Dr. Schmidt will serve chief of Surgical Oncology and surgeon in chief of the WVU Cancer Institute. He said his focus will be on clinical programs and education, while continuing to put out innovative research that will affect patient care. He plans to grow the program’s capacity to serve a larger number of patients and offer more innovative surgeries through fostering relationships across the state. 

“I feel there is a swelling of positive energy and forward direction at the WVU Cancer Center,” Schmidt said. “When I met with the leadership, they were aligned on the same focus on people, most importantly the people from West Virginia who need the care. They are very aligned in their goals, and there is a togetherness in the leadership.”

Schmidt comes to WVU from the Ohio State University College of Medicine Wexner Medical Center, where he served as associate professor of surgery. During his tenure at Ohio State, he also served as vice chair of quality and patient safety and program director for surgical oncology fellowships.

Schmidt received medical training at the University of Michigan. He then completed a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation, research fellowship, and residency in surgery at Vanderbilt University. From there, he went on to complete a fellowship in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center. He joined the faculty at Ohio State in 2008. He is certified by the American Board of Surgery.

Schmidt has been recognized as a Castle Connolly Top Doctor and has received multiple awards for exemplary teaching. His scholarly work focuses on outcomes for patients with gastrointestinal cancers and quality of care for cancer patients.