ing as the statewide leader in advanced surgical care, providing high-quality, innovative therapies at J. W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, while expanding access to specialty surgery across WVU Medicine.
“ We will continue to invest in education and research relevant to the population we serve,” he said.“ Most importantly, we will remain focused on our core mission: training the next generation of surgeons and delivering outstanding, patient-centered care close to home.”
Schmidt brings a multitude of leadership experience to the role, including work on both the state and national level. These roles include serving on the Annals of Surgical Oncology and Journal of Surgical Oncology editorial boards, acting as the state chair of the West Virginia Cancer Liaison Program for the American College of Surgeons and as associate chief quality officer for surgery at WVU Medicine.
Throughout his tenure, he has been a vocal advocate for surgical quality, serving as a surgeon champion for the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program and co-founding the Oncology Quality Council at the WVU Cancer Institute.
As a longtime leader within the WVU Department of Surgery, Schmidt said he is especially grateful to the current chair Dr. Wallis Marsh, whose outstanding leadership since 2017 built a strong foundation and positioned us for continued growth and success.
Schmidt is board-certified in surgery and nationally recognized, having received the National Gold Standard award from Castle Connolly for Pancreatic Cancer Surgery in 2025. He has authored over 220 publications.
Prior to joining WVU, he served on the faculty at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center from 2008-2018, where he held several leadership positions, including program director for the Surgical Oncology Fellowship and vice chair for quality and patient safety.
Schmidt completed fellowship training in surgical oncology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; earned his medical degree from the University of Michigan; and completed his general surgery residency at Vanderbilt University, where he also earned a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation.
Image: Carl Schmidt, MD. Photo courtesy of WVU Photo
West Virginia Medical Journal • September 2026 • 27