Albany Med Remembers Renowned Plastic Surgeon James Hoehn, MD

The Albany Med community mourns the loss of James Hoehn, MD, professor emeritus of Plastic Surgery, who passed away in late December at the age of 82.

Dr. Hoehn’s career-long commitment to Albany Medical College began in 1971, when he joined Albany Med as an attending plastic surgeon. He later served as a long-standing director of the plastic surgery residency program as well as chief of plastic surgery.

“Our specialty has lost a longstanding contributor and leader,” said Joseph Losee, MD, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).

Friends and colleagues alike remembered Dr. Hoehn as larger than life.

“His physical stature could be intimidating, but he didn’t seem to take advantage of that,” said Ronald Iverson, MD, past president of ASPS, who also credited Dr. Hoehn with having a profound impact on global plastic surgery during his long tenure as general secretary of the International Confederation of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery.

In the Albany Times Union, editor Casey Seiler noted that Dr. Hoehn was “known around the world for his leadership in the field of plastic surgery.”

Ash Patel, MBchB, professor and chief of Plastic Surgery at Albany Med, noted that Dr. Hoehn leaves a strong legacy not only on a national and international level, but especially in the Albany region. “He devoted his career to plastic surgery here, and without his presence, plastic surgery in this part of New York would not have been the same,” said Dr. Patel. “Even during the pandemic this year, he remained deeply committed to the residency program and seeing it flourish. It has been one of the great honors of my career to follow in the footsteps of Dr. Hoehn.”

Born in Detroit in 1938, Dr. Hoehn earned his medical degree at Northwestern University Medical School before beginning a general surgery residency at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., where he also completed his plastic surgery residency. Throughout his career, Dr. Hoehn served as president of several national and regional organizations, including the ASPS, American Association of Hand Surgery, New York State Society of Plastic Surgeons and Society of Plastic Surgeons of Upstate New York.

The Albany Med community will miss Dr. Hoehn, and offer our deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues around the world.