Robert M. Zollinger, MD: Teacher, Surgeon, Soldier, Farmer

Robert M. Zollinger, Sr. (1903 – 1992) was a professor of surgery at The Ohio State University for 27 years and chair for the Department of Surgery for 28. Zollinger earned his bachelor's and medical degree from Ohio State, and after graduation, interned at Harvard’s university hospital, the Peter Bent Brigham Hospital (PBBH), in Boston. 

Zollinger gave up a thriving medical practice to join the U.S. Army in 1941 where he became a major and the assistant chief of the Surgical Service. Zollinger rose to the rank of colonel and the command of the 5th General Hospital. Zollinger returned to Harvard in 1946 and was then recruited by Ohio State as a professor of Surgery where he made an immeasurable impact in the surgical field. Working with Edwin Ellison, he co-discovered the Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome, which identified the relationship between non-beta islet cell tumors of the pancreas and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. He also started the medical illustration division as a part of the Department of Surgery.

This new Medical Heritage Center (MHC) digital exhibit brings to life Zollinger's significant contributions to the medical field, and how he enjoyed his time outside of practicing medicine, with information and images from the MHC archives and artifact collection.

The exhibit was created by medical illustrator Courtney Fleming, Medical Visuals. We encourage you to scroll through the exhibit and explore some of the additional links and information.

You are welcome to include this digital exhibit in whole or in part in your scholarly research, website or publication. While no copyright acknowledgments are required for use, we request that you include the following suggested text: "The Robert M. Zollinger digital exhibit was created by the Medical Heritage Center at The Ohio State University Health Sciences Library."

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