The first occupant of the Lester W. Martin Chair in pediatric surgery, Richard G. Azizkhan, MD, came to Cincinnati Children's Hosptial Medical Center from Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, where he had been surgeon-in-chief and director of the pediatric surgery training program.

Dr. Azizkhan serves on the Executive Committee of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Surgical Section, and is Program Chairman for Pediatric Surgery American College of Surgeons.

In addition to his clinical work, Azizkhan is deeply involved in research and has published prolifically in medical literature. He is currently working on a book titled, Operative Pediatric Surgery, with former surgeon-in-chief, Moritz Ziegler, MD. Azizkhan is the project coordinator for Cincinnati Children's International Medical Education Exchange Program with Bosnia (Tuzla) and Croatia (Zagreb Children's Hospital).

As a surgical educator, he is director of the Pediatric Surgery Training Program and responsible for all surgical educational programs at Cincinnati Children's.