Thomas C. Chalmers

Infobox Person


image_size = 150px
birth_date = Birth date|1917|12|08
birth_place = New York City
death_date = Death date|1995|12|27
death_place = Lebanon, New Hampshire
known_for = Research into randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis methodology in medical research
education = Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons
employer = Mount Sinai School of Medicine
occupation = Physician, professor
title = President, Dean
spouse = Frances Talcott
children = Thomas C. Chalmers; Richard M. Chalmers; Elizabeth Chalmers Wright; Frances Talcott Chalmers-Smith

Thomas Clark Chalmers, MD, FACP (b. Birth date|1917|12|08, New York City – d. Death date|1995|12|27, Lebanon, New Hampshire) was famous for his role in the development of the randomized controlled trial and meta-analysis in medical research.cite news | last = Fein | first = Esther B. | title = Dr. Thomas C. Chalmers, a President of Mt. Sinai, Dies at 78 | work = New York Times | date = 1995-12-29 | url = http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE7DC1239F93AA15751C1A963958260 | accessdate = 2008-07-25] cite journal | author = Huth, EJ |url = http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/124/7/696 | title = A tribute to Thomas C. Chalmers | journal = Annals of Internal Medicine | volume = 124 | issue = 7 | date = April 1996 | pages = 696] cite web | title = Chalmers, former CC director, dies Dec. 20 | work = Clinical Center News | publisher = Warren Grant Magnuson Clinical Center, National Institutes of Health | date = January/February 1996 | url = http://clinicalcenter.nih.gov/about/news/newsletter/1996/janfeb96/janfebccnews.html#CCChalmers | accessdate = 2008-07-02]

Chalmers began his higher education as an English major at Yale College. He obtained his medical degree from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1943. He spent one year as an intern at the NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and completed his residency at the Boston City Hospital.cite web | url=http://www.nlm.nih.gov/hmd/manuscripts/ead/chalmers542.html | title = Finding Aid to the Thomas C. Chalmers Papers, 1927-1995 | date = May 2004 | work = Archives and Modern Manuscripts Program | publisher = History of Medicine Division, United States National Library of Medicine | accessdate = 2008-07-02]

Chalmers' interest in medical research began while working for the United States Army in Japan, where he conducted clinical trials investigating the treatment of hepatitis among Korean War soldiers. After returning to the United States, he spent 13 years as the chief of medical services at [http://www.mass.gov/?pageID=eohhs2subtopic&L=6&L0=Home&L1=Government&L2=Departments+and+Divisions&L3=Department+of+Public+Health&L4=Programs+and+Services+K+-+S&L5=Public+Health+Facilities&sid=Eeohhs2 Lemuel Shattuck Hospital] in Boston. He also held academic positions at Tufts University School of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. From 1968 to 1973 he held a number of appointments in Washington, DC: assistant director at the United States Department of Veterans Affairs, followed by concurrent positions as associate director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Director of the [http://www.cc.nih.gov/ NIH Clinical Center] .

From 1973 to 1983 he was President and Dean of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine (MSSM).cite web | url = http://www.mountsinai.org/Who%2520We%2520Are/School%2520of%2520Medicine/History | title = History of Mount Sinai School of Medicine: The Chalmers Years, 1973-1983 | publisher = The Mount Sinai Medical Center | accessdate = 2008-07-04] While at MSSM, he established the Department of Geriatrics (the first in the United States), and, following his commitment to the application of the scientific method and biostatistics to medical practice he established the Department of Biostatistics.cite journal | journal = P & S | year = 1996 | volume = 16 | issue = 3 | publisher = College of Physicians & Surgeons of Columbia University | title = Thomas C Chalmers - in memoriam | url = http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/news/journal/journal-o/archives/jour_v16n3_0025.html]

After leaving Mount Sinai, he became Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Chalmers was president of the [http://publish.aasld.org/Pages/Default.aspx American Association for the Study of Liver Disease] (1959) and president of the American Gastroenterological Association (1969). In 1981, he was awarded the Jacobi Medallion by the Mount Sinai Alumni "for distinguished achievement in the field of medicine or extraordinary service to the Hospital, the School, or the Alumni." [cite web | url = http://www.mssm.edu/alumni/awards/jacobi.shtml | title = The Jacobi Medallion | publisher = The Mount Sinai Alumni]

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Persondata
NAME= Chalmers, Thomas C.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION= Physician, professor
DATE OF BIRTH= 1917-12-08
PLACE OF BIRTH= New York City
DATE OF DEATH= 1995-12-27
PLACE OF DEATH= Lebanon, New Hampshire