Mark B. Orringer, M.D. is the John Alexander Distinguished Professor and Head of the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan. He was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Pittsburgh undergraduate school in 1963 and an Alpha Omega Alpha graduate of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School in 1967. He completed his general surgery and thoracic surgery residency training at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in 1973. During his surgery residency, while at the Frenchay Hospital in Bristol, England under the mentorship of Mr. Ronald Belsey, he gained additional exposure to the field of general thoracic surgery, particularly the surgical treatment of esophageal disease.

Dr. Orringer joined the faculty of the Section of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Michigan in 1973 as an Assistant Professor. He was promoted to Associate Professor in 1976 and to Professor of Surgery in 1980. He became Head of the Section in 1985.

As one of the country's current leaders in the field of thoracic surgery, Dr. Orringer has focused much of his academic career on the diagnosis and treatment of benign and malignant esophageal disease. He has developed two leading esophageal operations: the combined Collis-Nissen hiatal hernia repair and transhiatal esophagectomy without thoracotomy. Dr. Orringer's bibliography includes more than 200 journal articles, and 110 book chapters. He has edited five books, served on the editorial boards of several journals, and has been an invited speaker/participant or visiting professor throughout the country and the world. His commitment to residency education is documented nationally by his involvement with the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association, of which he is past President, and The American Board of Thoracic Surgery on which he served as a director from 1988 - 1995. He has played a major role in developing a structured curriculum and current efforts to implement innovative educational tools for thoracic surgery residents. He is a past President of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and currently serves on the Board of Governors and the Advisory Council of Cardiothoracic Surgery of the American College of Surgeons, the Board of Directors of CTSNet, and as Chairman of the Finance Committee and Nominating Committee of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Dr. Orringer has received numerous honors and awards throughout his career: He is a member of a variety of major national/international professional organizations including the American College of Surgeons; the Society of Thoracic Surgeons; The John Alexander Society; the American College of Chest Physicians; the American Association for Thoracic Surgery; The Society of University Surgeons; The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract; The International Society of Surgery; The Central Surgical Association; The American Surgical Association; Thoracic Surgery Directors Association; and the Halsted Society.