JoeBPutnamJr.MD

Summary

• Clinically focused on the surgical treatment of simple and complex lung, esophageal, and chest wall diseases emphasizing minimally invasive techniques and multidisciplinary cancer care.
  
  AB with Honors (1975) and MD (1979) from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  
  Dr. Putnam joined Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery at The Univ Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in 1988; Deputy Chairman 1995 – 2004. During Operation Desert Storm, he served as Department Head, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Naval Hospital San Diego. He retired as Captain (O-6), Medical Corps, United States Naval Reserve. Served as Chair, Thoracic Committee, American College of Surgeons Oncology Group (2001 – 2011). In 2004, he was appointed Professor and Chairman of the Department of Thoracic Surgery at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Professor of Biomedical Informatics, Ingram Professor of Cancer Research, and served as the Program Director for the ACGME-accredited residency education program in Thoracic Surgery.
  
  On October 1, 2015, Dr. Putnam was appointed Medical Director of the Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center in Jacksonville, Florida, the third partner member of the MD Anderson Cancer Network®, the institution’s international program to elevate the quality of cancer care globally to accomplish its mission of Making Cancer History. The Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center building opened September 4, 2018 to provide even better cancer care in the southeastern United States.
  
  Dr. Putnam served as a Director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery (2012-22) and as Chair (2019-22). As a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, he served on its Board of Governors (2 terms), and Commission on Cancer (2 terms). He is a member of numerous national and international professional organizations. He has published over 175 peer-reviewed articles in professional journals, over 40 book chapters, and edited 3 books.