Debra Romberger, M.D., named internal medicine chair

Debra Romberger, M.D., has been selected as the Henry J. Lehnhoff Professor of Internal Medicine and Chairperson for the Department of Internal Medicine. Bradley Britigan, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine, announced the appointment to the department and campus leaders on Tuesday.

The appointment, which followed an extensive national search and is subject to approval of the University of Nebraska Board of Regents, will be effective April 1.

Dr. Romberger has been a UNMC faculty member since 1990, and has been serving as interim chair since July 2014. "The department of internal medicine is recognized nationally for its excellence in education, research and clinical care," Dr. Britigan said. "Among several impressive candidates, Dr. Romberger was clearly the person who stood out as the ideal person to lead this department. Her vision, well-developed leadership skills, and intimate knowledge of the department will enable her to build on the department's proven strengths and lead its outstanding faculty to even greater levels of accomplishment."

UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, M.D., said he was pleased that Dr. Romberger had accepted the position.

"Dr. Romberger has extensive leadership knowledge and skills as well as significant experience in leadership roles in our community. As we continue to grow in our education, research and clinical missions, her leadership of the Department of Internal Medicine will be even more critical," he said. "Many thanks to the search committee members and Dean Britigan for a job well done."

Dr. Romberger said she was honored by the appointment.

"The department's greatest asset is its people — faculty, trainees and staff who are very talented and work hard to provide high quality care to our patients and education to our students and trainees while also seeking to answer important questions with our research programs," she said. "The department has a rich tradition of leadership and growth and I am privileged to be a part of leading us into our next steps of even further growth and national recognition."

Dr. Britigan echoed the chancellor's gratitude to the search committee, including chair Carl Smith, M.D., "for their efforts in bringing outstanding leadership to the department of internal medicine."

"I am looking forward to working closely with Dr. Romberger as she leads the department during this exciting opportunity we all have to transform and improve education, research and clinical care through the partnership between Nebraska Medicine and UNMC," said Bill Dinsmoor, CEO of Nebraska Medicine.

The department of internal medicine is the largest department in the College of Medicine, and its chair plays a major leadership role at UNMC and Nebraska Medicine. The department has more than 180 physicians and scientists and is organized by disease specialty into 10 divisions.