Joseph B. Clark, MD

About Me

Pediatric and Congenital Heart Surgery Outcomes

Joseph Clark, MD, received his undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. He served as an engineer in the United States Air Force on active duty in Glendale, Ariz., until matriculating to medical school. Dr. Clark graduated from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill, N.C., and completed his residency training in general surgery. He completed further residency training in cardiothoracic surgery at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., and fellowship training in congenital cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Clark joined the faculty at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and currently holds an appointment as professor of pediatrics and surgery. He enjoys medical education and has numerous teaching awards to his credit. His clinical focus includes the surgical management of all forms of simple and complex congenital heart disease. As a member of the Penn State Pediatric Cardiovascular Research Center, Dr. Clark's research interests include development of a pulsatile pediatric ventricular assist device, brain protection during cardiac surgery, pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass and mechanical extracorporeal life support. He is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and holds professional membership in the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association and the Congenital Heart Surgeons' Society.