University of Colorado School of Medicine Dean & Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs Search

John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MHSc, MBA
Senior Vice President, Duke University Health System and 
Duke Health Integrated Practice

John H. Sampson, MD, PhD, MHSc, MBA, is the Robert H. and Gloria Wilkins Distinguished Professor of Neurosurgery and Senior Vice President of Duke University Health System and the Duke Health Integrated Practice (DHIP), leading thousands of School of Medicine faculty, community physicians, psychologists, and advanced practice providers who are the clinical talent force for Duke University. He is a physician-scientist and member of the National Academy of Medicine. With a career spanning over 25 years, his journey is underscored by a relentless pursuit of excellence across clinical practice, research, education, and leadership domains. Throughout his tenure, he has inspired and mentored diverse teams and fostered a culture of innovation. As a transformational leader, Dr. Sampson has orchestrated collaborative change initiatives and successfully converted visionary ideas into actionable plans.

As a surgeon-scientist, he holds a deep commitment to advancing new therapies into the clinic and compassionately treating patients with brain tumors and other diseases of the nervous system. He has authored nearly 300 peer-reviewed publications in prestigious journals and held the distinction of being the highest NIH-funded investigator in his field for several consecutive years. Educating and nurturing the next generation of healthcare leaders is a cornerstone of Dr. Sampson's career. His dedication to training surgeons, physicians, scientists, and students is evident in the numerous alumni who now occupy leadership positions across the nation's top academic programs.

As the Inaugural Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at Duke, he championed faculty and student led innovative educational programs such as the Surgical Autonomy Program; the Learner Mentorship, Leadership, and Coaching program; and the Global Neurosurgery Program. These initiatives not only advanced patient care and education but also extended the impact of these trainees to underprivileged regions globally. He also pioneered the Neuro-innovations Program, which provided training for students at all levels on entrepreneurial activities; and executed on a strategic initiative to develop the WellSpentMD App, which effectively reduced burnout by rewarding clinicians and learners with congratulations and encouragement. Dr. Sampson's commitment to innovation extends beyond education and clinical practice, as evidenced by his leadership in several entrepreneurial ventures and board positions in health systems, foundations, and private and publicly-traded companies outside of Duke. 

Dr. Sampson's academic journey began with a medical degree in Canada, followed by a PhD in neuroimmunology and MHSc in clinical research at Duke University. He did his research training under the internationally renowned neuro-oncologist, Darell D. Bigner, and Nobel Laureate, Gertrude Elion. Recognizing the importance of health sector management, he further honed his skills with an MBA from Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, earning the distinction of Fuqua Scholar as a top tier graduate.

Beyond his professional pursuits, Dr. Sampson finds joy in family time, a passion for racing cars and critiquing Hi-Fi music with his sons, and a commitment to physical well-being through Peloton cycling and trail running, complemented by the practice of meditation.

Richard D. Schulick, MD, MBA, is the Aragon/Gonzalez-Giusti Chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. He also serves as the Director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center. Dr. Schulick came to Colorado from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions where he was Chief of the Surgical Oncology Division. 

As the son of a U.S. diplomat, Schulick grew up around Washington, DC, and in Burma, Thailand, and India. He received his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering in 1985, medical school degree in 1989, and master in business administration in 2010, all from Johns Hopkins University, and completed a residency in General Surgery there in 1996. He completed fellowships in clinical pharmacology and immunology at the National Institutes of Health both in 1993, advanced gastrointestinal surgery at Johns Hopkins in 1997, and surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in 1999. 

Schulick, who was on the Johns Hopkins faculty for 13 years prior to moving to Colorado, is a recognized leader in the fields of pancreatic, hepatic, and biliary surgery, as well as other areas in cancer surgery. His scientific interests are in the area of tumor immunology. He has held numerous grants from the National Institutes of Health to study vaccine therapy of cancer.  He is the current principal investigator of the University of Colorado National Cancer Institute core grant.  He has pioneered the use of genetically engineered bacteria as well as genetic modifications of cancer cells to treat human cancer. His current laboratory efforts include the discovery of a new immune checkpoint pathway and ways of augmenting immunotherapy. He has also received recognition as a highly effective educator.

Dr. Schulick, has served on the editorial boards of several journals in the field of surgery. He has authored or co-authored more than 380 peer reviewed scientific papers as indexed in PubMed, as well as other numerous invited manuscripts and book chapters. His current H-index is 121.  He has obtained funding from both corporate and government agencies, including K23 and R01 funding, and has served on study sections of the National Institutes of Health. Schulick is a member of various organizations including American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Association of Cancer Research, the American Surgical Association, Society of Clinical Surgeons, American Association of Cancer Institutes, American College of Surgeons, Society of Surgical Oncology, Americas Hepato-pancreato-biliary Association, Halsted Society (President in 2023), Western Surgical Association, Southern Surgical Association, James IV Association of Surgeons, and the International Surgical Group.