Passing of Carl Olsson, MD

Dear Colleagues,

We are deeply saddened to share the news of the passing of Carl Olsson, MD. Dr. Olsson served as the chair of the Department of Urology at the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and urologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center for more than 25 years. During his tenure as chair, Dr. Olsson oversaw unprecedented growth in the department and led accomplishments that included the development of a full-time faculty model, the inception of a molecular urology research program, and the introduction of both laparoscopic and robotic surgery programs.

Dr. Olsson’s long and impressive career included serving in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War, completing fellowship training at the Cleveland Clinic in renal transplant surgery, and chairing the Department of Urology at Boston University, before joining Columbia in 1980. Throughout his career, he was known for his contributions to the development of reconstructive surgery in urology, his brilliance in urologic cancer surgery, and the groundbreaking advances he made in the fundamental understanding of prostate and bladder cancer genomics.

After stepping down as chair in 2006, Dr. Olsson went on to serve as the chief medical officer of Integrated Medical Partners and was a thought leader in quality and patient safety throughout the large urology group practice association.

Dr. Olsson held several national leadership positions, including serving as a trustee of the American Board of Urology, president of the New York section of the American Urologic Association, president of the American Association of Genitourinary Surgeons, and secretary of the AUA, among others. He was the recipient of many awards, including the Gold Cystoscope Award from the AUA, the John K. Lattimer Award, the Hugh Hampton Young Award, and our own New York Section Ferdinand Valentine Lifetime Achievement Medal.

For those of us who knew him, “The Boss” will be forever remembered for his pursuit of perfection, his competitive drive, his characteristic bow ties, his passion for racing his beloved sailboats, and his devotion to his wife Mary and his children Erik and Ingrid.

The Department of Urology will plan a memorial service in Dr. Olsson's honor. Details will be shared at a later date.

Sincerely,

James McKiernan, MD
Interim Dean, Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
CEO, ColumbiaDoctors