Dr. Bruce Waldholtz elected Rector of EVMS Board
Bruce Waldholtz, MD, a gastroenterologist and member of the EVMS volunteer community faculty for more than three decades, was elected Rector of the Board of Visitors Aug. 4, 2021. He had been serving in an interim capacity after the resignation of Marcus Martin, MD (MD’76) in July due to unexpected health issues.
The board also elected Paul Fraim as Vice Rector. Mr. Fraim is an attorney and a former long-time Mayor of the City of Norfolk who was appointed to the EVMS board by the Governor in 2016.
Dr. Waldholtz joined the EVMS community faculty in 1988. His work with the school includes mentoring first-year medical students and regular interaction with fourth-year medical students during their gastroenterology rotation.
He is a passionate physician who takes the public welfare to heart. For instance, he helped launch and support palliative care fellowships at EVMS and at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center. He currently serves on the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center Council. Additionally, the Waldholtz Family Wellness Series at EVMS sponsors regular lectures for faculty, students, residents and staff.
A 21-year cancer survivor, Dr. Waldholtz also is an active volunteer with the American Cancer Society (ACS). He has held several prominent ACS posts, including a term as Chair of the South Atlantic Regional Board. He was involved in the ACS national merger at its 100th birthday, forming a single 501c3 corporation from 11 separate divisions nationwide.
He also is a member of the ACS Cancer Action Network National Board, a nonpartisan advocacy affiliate that lobbies for ACS legislative priorities.
As part of a nationwide ACS campaign in 2015, he helped launch five statewide roundtable discussions on strategies to increase colon cancer screening rates. He regularly speaks to local African-American clergy and church congregations about the importance of breast and colon cancer screenings and about risk factors such as family history, obesity and inactivity.
In 2020, he received the National Volunteer Leadership Award from the ACS in recognition of his collaborative work in fighting health disparities, encouraging screenings, fund-raising and legislative advocacy at the state and national levels. He also earned the designation of Health Care Hero from Inside Business for his efforts to battle health disparities.
A Pittsburgh native, Dr. Waldholtz is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency and a gastroenterology fellowship at Johns Hopkins.
Since 1988, Dr. Waldholtz has practiced with Gastroenterology Associates, a division of GLST. His specialty areas include hereditary polyps and colon cancer syndromes, gastroesophageal reflux disease and inflammatory bowel disease.
His daughter, Lauren Gregory, is a 2017 graduate of EVMS and a practicing pediatrician in St. Louis.