Dr. Herndon, since completing his surgical residency at the New York Hospital in 1980, has focused his talents as surgical clinician, teacher, and investigator on the challenges presented by burn injury.  His studies, chronicled in over 950 articles in biomedical journals and 140 textbook chapters and supported by NIH funding for over 30 years, have touched on virtually every aspect of burn pathophysiology and therapy, as well as the organization and delivery of burn care. 

Additionally, Dr. Herndon has mentored 174 fellows many of whom staff and/or direct burn centers in the United States and other countries.  His effective synthesis of teaching skills and clinical expertise has been recognized by his membership on the Editorial Boards of 11 biomedical journals and his service as ad hoc reviewer for an additional 21 journals as well as his appointments to 25 scientific review boards including the NIH Surgery, Anesthesia, and Trauma Study Section.  He has recently edited and published the 4th edition of “Total Burn Care” which serves as the “textbook of record” in the U.S.   

Dr. Herndon received a B.A. and M.D. degrees from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland Ohio.  Dr. Herndon’s many honors include:  the 1993 James IV Traveling Fellowship, the Scientific Achievement Award of the Shock Society, the Harvey Stuart Allen Award of the American Burn Association, the Distinguished Alumnus Award of Case Western Reserve University, the Presidency of the Society of University Surgeons, the Flance Karl Award of the American Surgical Association, election as a Director of the American Board of Surgery, designation as Master of Critical Care Medicine by the Society of Critical Care Medicine, Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh, and most recently the Medallion for Scientific Achievement of the American Surgical Association.  

Dr. Herndon’s achievements and scientific productivity in the field of burn injury are indexed by his presidencies of the American Burn Association and the International Society of Burn Injury and his honorary membership in the South African Burn Society.  The ultimate validation of Dr. Herndon’s accomplishments resides in the innumerable severely burned children who have survived and undergone effective psychosocial reintegration because of the improvements in care based upon the clinical and laboratory studies conducted under his leadership.