Tufts University: 175 Years of Innovation

A specialist in thyroid surgery, Frank H. Lahey reduced the death rate from thyroid surgery from one out of five to one in 140. He was also known for his ability to conduct surgery on the gastro-intestinal tract and gallbladder. Lahey’s Tufts connection began in 1910 when he joined the Medical School as a faculty member, teaching there until 1924. During his time working at Tufts, he began the Lahey Clinic Medical Center, which is now a teaching hospital for Tufts School of Medicine. During World War II, he devoted his time to the war effort, organizing the selection of more than 60,000 doctors for field hospitals and emergency readiness in America.