Russell M. Howerton, MD, FACS

Russell M. Howerton, MD, FACS, was named Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Wake Forest Baptist Health in November 2010.

As CMO of the health system, Howerton is responsible for all hospitals inclusive of North Carolina Baptist Hospital, Brenner Children’s Hospital, Lexington Memorial Hospital and Davie County Hospital, all ambulatory clinics, Wake Forest University Physicians and Community Physicians. His clinical leadership and operational purview include quality in service and clinical excellence in collaboration with the clinical chairs, the chief nursing officer and administrative co-management partners.

Prior to being named CMO, Howerton had served as Vice CMO since 2009, and as Associate Chief of Professional Services since 2004.

Howerton earned his bachelor’s degree with honors from Johns Hopkins University and his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. He completed a fellowship in surgical endoscopy/laparoscopy at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio. He served as senior registrar in the Hepatobiliary Surgical Unit of Hammersmith Hospital at the Royal Postgraduate Medical School of the University of London.

Howerton, a professor of surgery (general surgery), serves in leadership roles on numerous boards and was re-appointed chair of the American College of Surgeons’ Committee on Applicants District 5 for 2010.