The Gordon P. Buzby Surgical Leadership Fund, established by Dr. Buzby and his family in 2003, provides for an Annual Surgical Leadership Lecture with an Award presented to the surgical resident or faculty member most devoted to exploring issues of surgical finances, management, administration and leadership.
A superb clinical surgeon, Dr. Buzby devoted his career to providing exemplary patient care and developing a model clinical practice. Keenly aware of the challenges in healthcare delivery and reimbursement, he focused on financial, management and administrative issues and assumed a leadership role in the development of new departmental initiatives and standards.
He completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania (BS '70), his medical school education at the University of Pennsylvania Medical School (MD '74) and a seven year surgical residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. In 1981 he joined the Penn Surgery faculty. In addition to his legacy of being an outstanding general surgeon, he served as the Director of the Nutrition Support Service and the Director of the Residency Program. He was chosen as the Director of the Residency Program because of the close personal relationship he was able to forge with every resident who came through the program.
On October 31, 2003 Dr. Buzby died after a heroic battle against a lung cancer that was diagnosed only 7 months earlier. Opting for the most aggressive treatment in the hopes of beating this disease, he had an incredibly positive, admirable attitude up to the end. Even in this, he was a model of leadership and inspiration.