Background
Silen, William was born on September 13, 1927 in San Francisco, California, United States. Son of Dave and Rose (Miller) Silen.
Silen, William was born on September 13, 1927 in San Francisco, California, United States. Son of Dave and Rose (Miller) Silen.
Bachelor, University of California, Berkeley, 1946; Doctor of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, 1949; Master of Arts (honorary), Harvard University, 1966.
Intern, University of California, San Francisco, 1949-1950; assistant resident general surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 1950-1956; chief resident general surgery, University of California, San Francisco, 1956-1957; assistant chief surgery, Denver Veterans Administration Hospital., 1957-1959; chief surgery, Denver Veterans Administration Hospital., 1959-1960; assistant chief surgery, San Francisco General Hospital, 1960-1961; chief surgery, San Francisco General Hospital, 1961-1966; surgeon-in-chief, Beth Israel Hospital, Boston, 1966-1994; instructor surgery, assistant professor surgery, U. Colorado Medical School, Denver, 1957-1960; assistant professor then associate professor surgery, University of California School Medicine, San Francisco, 1960-1966; professor surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, since 1966; Johnson and Johnson professor surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 1966-1994; Johnson & Johnson distinguished professor surgery, Harvard Medical School, Boston, since 1994; faculty dean faculty development & diversity, Harvard Medical School, Boston, since 1995. Director Harvard Digestive Diseases Center National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland., 1984-1994.
With United States Air Force, 1950-1952. Member American Medical Association, American College of Surgeons, Society University Surgeons, hockey club Naffziger Surgical Society, Phi Beta Kappa.
Married Ruth Heppner, July 13, 1947. Children: Stephen, Deborah, Mark.