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Anthony G. Charles, MD, MPH, FRCSEd, is the Oliver R. Rowe Distinguished Professor of Surgery at the UNC School of Medicine, where he also serves as Chief of the Division of General and Acute Care Surgery and Director of Global Surgery at the Institute for Global Health & Infectious Diseases.
Originally from Nigeria, Dr. Charles trained in general surgery in London and Los Angeles and completed a Master of Public Health (MPH) at UNC.
He is the founder and director of the Malawi Surgical Initiative, a pioneering program that since 2008 has trained Malawian surgeons in their home country — significantly increasing the number of trained surgeons in Malawi and improving access to safe, high-quality surgery in low-resource settings.
Dr. Charles also leads the adult ECMO program at UNC Hospitals, and his work combines clinical practice (trauma, acute care surgery, critical care), research, medical training, and global health efforts.
His work in global surgery and health equity has influenced both international health policy and the training of multiple generations of surgeons.