Robert Edward Gross

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". 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. 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 College • 1956 - Roswell Park Gold Medal, Buffalo Surgical Society • 1959 - Billroth Medal, New York Academy of Medicine • 1961 - Gold Medal Award, Golden Slipper Square Club of Philadelphia • 1962 - Award of the Brotherhood Temple Ohabei Shalom, Brookline • 1965 - William E. Ladd Medal Award, Surgical Section, American Academy of Pediatrics • 1965 - Gold Cross, Royal Order of the Phoenix of the Greek Government • 1968 - Denis Browne Gold Medal, British Association of Pediatric Surgeons • 1969 - Dr. Rodman E. Sheen and Thomas G. Sheen Award, American Medical Association • 1970 - Alfred Jurzykowski Medalist, New York Academy of Medicine citation with Farber and Neuhauser and the Children's Hospital Medical Center • 1970 - Henry Jacob Bigelow Memorial Medal • 1971 - Tina Award • 1973 - Distinguished Service Medal, American Surgical Association ==Education and career==

• 1927 - B.A., Carleton College • 1931 - M.D., Harvard University, Medical School • 1934-36, Instructor in pathology, Harvard Medical School • 1937-39, Instructor in surgery, Harvard Medical School • 1939-40, Junior associate in surgery, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital • 1939-42, Associate in surgery, Harvard Medical School • 1939-46, Associate visiting surgeon, Children's Hospital, Boston • 1940-46, Senior associate in surgery, Peter Bent Brigham Hospital • 1942-47, Assistant professor of surgery, Harvard Medical School • 1947-88, Ladd Professor of Children's Surgery, Harvard Medical School • 1947-67, Surgeon-in-chief, Children's Hospital, Boston • 1952, Surgeon-in-chief, pro-tempore, Ohio State University • 1967-72, Surgeon-in-chief, cardiovascular surgery, Children's Hospital, Boston ==References==