Dr. Gracias is Professor of Surgery, Senior Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs of RBHS and President of Rutgers Health Group (RHG).  Organized as a nonprofit subsidiary corporation of Rutgers University, RHG is an integrated group practice incorporating 1,000 clinical faculty from across Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, University Behavioral Health Care, Rutgers School of Dental Medicine, and the School of Nursing.  In these dual roles, Dr. Gracias leads the growth and evolution of the Rutgers clinical enterprise during this time of systemic change in health care. Dr. Gracias works closely with the Deans, institute directors, faculty leaders and health system partners to encourage collaboration, advance quality and excellence, and provide strategic direction.  With his characteristic energy and enthusiasm, Dr. Gracias helps steward mission areas including but not limited to innovation in the paradigm of patient-centered, population-based, and value-driven health care practices throughout RBHS, the University, and surrounding health systems. He also serves as lead liaison with the principal teaching hospitals of RBHS, insurers and payers, and patient communities. Dr. Gracias recently served as interim Dean of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School where he helped orchestrate its successful financial turn around and start toward value driven care.  He is also Vice President of Health Affairs for Rutgers University, and Chief Academic Officer for RWJBarnabas Health.

Fellowship trained and board certified in general surgery, trauma surgery, and surgical critical care, he has served as chief of acute care surgery and as the director of both the adult and pediatric trauma centers at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH).  Dr. Gracias received his undergraduate degree from the University of Notre Dame and his MD from the University of Utah School of Medicine.  He completed residency training in general surgery at the University of Illinois in Chicago, Metro Group Hospitals, Research Fellowship at University of Illinois and Fellowship in trauma/surgical critical care at the University of Pennsylvania (Penn) Medical Center where he served on faculty with distinction for 12 years before transitioning to Rutgers.