Abstract
Dr. Robert W. Hobson II, Director of the Vascular Institute at the Gagnon Heart Hospital, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, NJ, died after a long illness on Wednesday January 2, 2008 at Overlook Hospital in Summit, NJ. His wife Joan and two stepchildren, Ann Marie Gesualdo of Rockaway and Patrick Gesualdo of Boonton Township, and two grandchildren, William and Shannon Debitt, survive him.
Dr. Hobson was born in Illinois on 12/21/39. He received a BS in chemistry and an MD in 1963 from The George Washington University and its School of Medicine. After serving with the US Army 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam, he returned to complete a residency in general surgery in 1971 and a fellowship in vascular surgery in 1973 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He was a professor and the founding and supervising director of the Division of Vascular Surgery at the University of Medicine and Dentistry-New Jersey Medical School from 1978 to 2003. He managed clinical activities for the institution's Vascular Disease Center, which was initiated through an NIH academic award in vascular disease. In 2007, he accepted the position of director of the Vascular Institute at Morristown Memorial Hospital and professor of surgery at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Dr. Hobson served as president of the Association for Academic Surgery (1981), the American Venous Forum (1996), the Eastern Vascular Society (1997), The Association of Program Directors in Vascular Surgery (1998–2000), the American Association for Vascular Surgery (2000–2001), and of the New Jersey chapter, American College of Surgeons (ACS) (2000–2001). He was founding chair of the American Vascular Association, a foundation of the SVS, and currently he was the chair of the ACS Advisory Committee for Vascular Surgery and the American Board of Vascular Surgery.
Dr. Hobson's major research interests included cerebrovascular physiology and the influence of carotid occlusive disease on the development of stroke, its prevention by endarterectomy and stenting, the clinical management of atherosclerotic vascular disease and the physiology of the microcirculation including skeletal muscle ischemia and reperfusion. Dr. Hobson was the author or coauthor of over 375 articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed journals as well as over 100 book chapters. He edited or co-edited five textbooks, and was on the editorial board of the Journal of Surgical Research (1983–1989), the Journal of Vascular Surgery (1989–1999), Stroke (2003–2006), and Vascular (2004–2007). He was also on the editorial board of four other distinguished journals.
His recent clinical activities focused on the establishment and organization of an autonomous Vascular Institute in Morristown Memorial Hospital's newly constructed Gagnon Heart Hospital and the performance of open and endovascular surgical procedures. He was the principal investigator (PI) of one of the first multicenter clinical trials on carotid endarterectomy, the VA Cooperative Study on the efficacy of endarterectomy for asymptomatic carotid stenosis. He was also a leader in the ACAS (Asymptomatic Carotid Atherosclerosis Study) trial, and was the principal investigator for CREST (Carotid Revascularization Endarterectomy versus Stent Trial). The CREST trial, which is one of the most important randomized prospective studies in the carotid field, is designed to compare the efficacy of carotid endarterectomy vs. stenting in 120 centers throughout the United States and Canada.
Dr. Hobson's long and consistently distinguished career was characterized by his many fine qualities. These included his charismatic leadership, his outstanding scholarly productivity, his excellence as a teacher and a mentor, his scientific integrity, the clarity of his presentations, his sense of humor, his loyalty to colleagues and country and most importantly his courage. The latter was recognized by his award of the Bronze Star, the Air Medal and the Cross of Gallantry during his military service in Vietnam. His courage was also exemplified by his strong stand for independence for Vascular Surgery during his time as an American Board of Vascular Surgery Director and Chairman. His leadership was consistently demonstrated at multiple levels: within his medical school, his hospital, many professional and scientific organizations and committees, and within his country and his specialty.
Bob Hobson was a shining star in Vascular Surgery. He enjoyed the pinnacle of scientific success. He was a distinguished educator and a role model. He was a most courageous leader. He will be fondly remembered and sorely missed.