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Dr. O'Brien, emeritus professor of surgery, dies  Paul H. O’Brien, M.D., emeritus professor of surgery, professor of surgery and surgical oncology, died on Aug. 10 at the Medical University Hospital. He was 71.. Dr. O’Brien spent 30 years in the Department of Surgery at the MUSC as a specialist in the surgical treatment of cancer. An innovative thinker in the field of cancer treatment, Dr. O’Brien was among those who understood early that most cancers could not be cured with surgery alone but were best managed by building a team that included doctors who specialized in treating cancer with chemotherapy and radiation therapy.  His long-held belief that South Carolina needed a specialty center dedicated to the treatment of all cancer patients was ultimately realized in the establishment of the Hollings Cancer Center. He served the Hollings Cancer Center as a member of the Internal Advisory Committee, the Development Committee, and the Executive Committee.  “Dr. O’Brien was loved by the nurses and his patients. His clinics were known for his unique blend of humor and compassion,” said Carolyn Reed, M.D., director of the Hollings Cancer Center. “In addition to his outstanding academic career, he will also be fondly remembered and missed for his great integrity and his consistent devotion to the highest ethical principles in every area of life. His great dedication to teaching, and the example he set in his compassionate medical care of all patients, both rich and poor, earned him the respect and admiration of all and will be his legacy to medicine in the decades to come. We will miss him greatly,” said long-time colleague and friend, William Rambo Sr., M.D. Dr. O’Brien’s interests and efforts in cancer care improvement within the Department of Surgery led to the establishment of the Section of Surgical Oncology.  “Dr. O’Brien’s heart and clinical experience represented the core of our section. He will be greatly missed,” said the current head of surgical oncology, David Cole, M.D. Born in Evanston, Ill., Dr. O’Brien was an active competitor in sports and scouting as a boy, proudly earning the distinction of Eagle Scout.  He graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in 1950 at the age of 19, and he received his medical degree from Northwestern University in 1954.  After completing his internship at Northwestern University Hospital, he joined the Army and served in the Medical Corps in the European command in Germany, achieving the rank of Captain.  From 1957 to 1962 he was a surgical resident at Cook County Hospital in Chicago.  He received his specialty training in cancer surgery between 1962 and 1965 at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York.  Dr. O’Brien then returned to Northwestern University where he was named Assistant Professor of Surgery in 1967. In 1970, he saw an opportunity to contribute to the improvement of cancer care in the state of South Carolina.  He was appointed associate professor of surgery at MUSC in 1970, and full professor in 1972. He was director of the MUSC Cancer Clinic from 1970 to 1976, and he was vice-chairman of the Department of Surgery from 1981 to 1988. He served on the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons from 1983 to 1993 and on the Executive Council of the Society of Surgical Oncology from 1986 to 1990.  During his training and career, Dr. O’Brien was honored by many prestigious fellowships. Most notably, he was named an American Cancer Society Junior Clinical Fellow from 1962 to 1963; Senior Clinical Fellow, U.S. Public Health Service from 1963 to 1965; and Senior Clinical Fellow, American Cancer Society from 1965 to 1967.  He held a Schweppe Fellow Career Development Award from 1967 to 1970 at Northwestern University School of Medicine.  From 1974 to 1979, the American Cancer Society named him Professor of Clinical Oncology, the only one in South Carolina. He was a member of many surgical societies including the American College of Surgeons, the James Ewing Society (Society of Surgical Oncology), the Association for Academic Surgery, the American Association for Cancer Education, the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract, the Southeastern Surgical Congress, the American Cancer Society, the Halsted Society, the South Carolina Surgical Society, and others. An animated teacher, Dr. O’Brien was highly respected as a surgical educator and trained more than 125 surgical residents in the principles of cancer surgery. He was honored by his students with the Outstanding Leadership Award in Medical Education from the American Cancer Society from 1974 to 1979, and the Excellence in Teaching Award by the American Medical Student Association in 1984. He retired from MUSC in June, 2000 as Emeritus Professor of Surgery but remained active in resident and student teaching. Dr. O’Brien is survived by his wife of 36 years, Ann; his daughter, Dr. Jennifer A. Williams, assistant professor of anesthesiology at Cornell University; his son, Dr. Paul E. O’Brien, fellow in Medical Oncology at Yale University School of Medicine; and his brothers, M. James O’Brien of Northbrook, Illinois and Patrick W. O’Brien of Evanston, Illinois. A memorial service for Dr. O’Brien was held at the Cathedral Church of St. Luke and St. Paul on Aug. 14. He was buried at Tullich Graveyard, Deeside, Scotland on Aug. 18.