General and Thoracic Surgery, Pennsylvania Hospital
General and Thoracic Surgery, Jefferson Medical College Hospital

American Cancer Society
Trainee in Cardiovascular Surgery of the National Heart Institute, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital

General Vascular Surgery
Thoracic Surgery
General Surgery

Introduction to Healthcare Quality & Safety

Dr. Smullens received his undergraduate education at Harvard College and earned his medical degree from Jefferson Medical College (now Sidney Kimmel Medical College) where he was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha. He was a Clinical Professor of Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, and in June of 2023 was made an Emeritus Professor of Surgery by the Board of Thomas Jefferson University. He is board certified in General, Thoracic and Vascular Surgery. He is currently a lecturer in the Jefferson College of Population Health, and has taught online courses in Quality and Patient Safety

He was the Founding President and CEO of JeffCare, the Physician Hospital Organization of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He has been President of the Medical Staff of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and President of the Jefferson Alumni Association. He has received the Leon A. Peris Memorial Award for ”excellence in clinical teaching and superior patient care” from Jefferson, and the “Influencer in Healthcare Award” from the Philadelphia Inquirer.  His portrait has been presented to the University. He is a member of many local and national medical societies and has published widely in the medical literature.

In January 2016, Dr. Smullens stepped down as Medical Director of Network Performance and Quality of the Delaware Valley Accountable Care Organization (DVACO). Prior to this position, he was Chief Medical Officer of the DVACO from 2013 to 2015 and the precedent Jefferson Health System from 1997 to 2014. He has been a member of the DVACO Board of Directors since 2019.

In 2002 Dr. Smullens was appointed by Governor Mark Schweiker to the eleven-person Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority (PSA) Board as part of the Mcare Law (Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error Act). He was elected Vice Chairman of the Authority in 2002 and completed his term on the PSA Board on June 30, 2004. He was reappointed to the Authority in January 2005. He served as the Acting Chair from 2011 until March of 2013. In June 2018, Dr. Smullens was appointed Chair of the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority by Governor Thomas Wolf. His term as Chair and Board membership ended in May, 2021.