Dr. Jennifer Tseng Is the First Female Chief of Surgery at a Major Boston Hospital

Jennifer Tseng/Photo provided

With the appointment of Dr. Jennifer Tseng, Boston finally has its first female chief of surgery at an academic medical center.

Tseng, a widely published surgical oncologist and gastrointestinal surgeon, is now chief of surgery at Boston Medical Center (BMC) and chair of the department of surgery at its affiliate, Boston University School of Medicine. Her new title not only makes history in Boston, but places Tseng among a select group of female surgical leaders nationwide.

“Dr. Tseng is an accomplished leader and outstanding surgeon who has demonstrated a commitment to diversity and care for our community,” BMC President and CEO Kate Walsh says in a statement. “We are pleased to welcome her to BMC, and the Department of Surgery will continue to grow and thrive under her leadership.”

Prior to joining BMC, Tseng was chief of surgical oncology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and a professor at Harvard Medical School. She has worked with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health to better understand how socioeconomic factors and insurance access affect cancer diagnosis, treatment, and prevention, and was also the founding director of the Surgical Outcomes Analysis and Research group at UMass Medical School.

She began her work at BMC at the beginning of July.