Ernest F. Rosato graduated Summa Cum Laude from Saint Joseph’s College in 1958 and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine with election to the Alpha Omega Alpha National Honor Society in 1962. He subsequently took his general surgery residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and for the next 50 years would remain at Penn for his entire professional career. Dr. Rosato was promoted to Full Professor of Surgery in 1975 and subsequently held the position of Chief of the Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery from 1988 through 2004. Recognized as the premier general surgeon at HUP for decades, Dr. Rosato's academic career was remarkably productive with authorship on 152 scientific publications and membership to all the major surgical societies, including the American College of Surgeons, the Society of University Surgeons, the Halsted Society, and the American Surgical Association.
Dr. Rosato always placed a premium on medical education in his surgical practice. He received the Mary F. and Christian R. Linback Award for distinguished teaching, the Medical Student Government Faculty Honor Roll, the medical students award for excellence in teaching on two occasions, the Penn Pearls Award from the medical students for excellence in clinical teaching on two occasions and, in 1980, the Penn Med Yearbook "Scope" was dedicated to Dr. Rosato where the students succinctly and accurately noted that "his clinical and technical expertise are well known…over and above these skills stands his strength of purpose…he is willing to face those difficult patients whose problems require both innovation and persistence to attain successful results". In a surgical career that has spanned nearly four decades, Dr. Rosato has literally trained a generation of academic surgeons.
The William Inouye award for teaching is given by the surgical chief residents each year to the faculty member whose leadership, caring attitude and surgical judgment have been an exemplary model to the surgeon in training with whom a bond of mutual respect and friendship has been established. Dr. Rosato received this award 18 times since 1985 and since 1999, an incredible 13 consecutive graduating chief resident classes have honored him in this way.
For his clinical expertise, Dr. Rosato received significant recognition outside of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania with multiple listings in the Top Doctors edition in Philadelphia Magazine and a remarkable 17 year consecutive run as one of the Best Doctors in America listing. Dr. Rosato was the recipient of the 2008 I.S. Ravdin Master Clinician award, which is perhaps the most prestigious clinical award that Penn Medicine can bestow upon one of its faculty members given to a clinician who is a skillful, compassionate practitioner with a long and consistent record of contributions to the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and health system. Dr. Rosato received this award 40 years after he was I.S. Ravdin's last senior resident.
While Dr. Rosato accomplished great things professionally and personally, without question his greatest pride came from his family. Dr. Rosato and his wife, Gerry, raised nine beautiful children. Dr. Rosato's career would not have been the same had it not been for the loving support and encouragement he received over the years from Gerry.