Seymour I. Schwartz, MD Seymour I. Schwartz, MD, Distinguished Alumni Professor at the University of Rochester, has had a renowned and diverse career. On the faculty at Rochester for over 50 years, he served as Chair of the Department of Surgery from 1987-1998. Dr. Schwartz was the founding editor of the seminal surgical textbook, Schwartz’s Principles of Surgery, and served as editor-in-chief for its first seven editions. He remains an active contributor to Schwartz Surgery Online. In addition, Dr. Schwartz has authored the textbook Surgical Disease of the Liver, written Reflections, a book about the history and philosophy of surgery, edited a half dozen other surgical books, and contributed over 250 articles to refereed journals. Dr. Schwartz edited the journals Yearbook of Surgery for 22 years and Contemporary Surgery for 28 years, and served as the editor-in-chief of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons for 10 years. Beyond his prolific career in academic medicine, Dr. Schwartz has published four books on cartography, with a particular focus on the mapping of America. He is currently working on a new book on the map that named America. Among his many professional honors, Dr. Schwartz has served as President of the Society of Clinical Surgery, the American Surgical Association, and the American College of Surgeons. He has received several honorary degrees and has been elected to membership in preeminent non-surgical societies, including the Institute of Medicine and the American Philosophical Society.