Jacob Charles Handelsman

Handelsman, a surgeon whose career spanned six decades at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He received his B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University in 1940, and graduated with an M.D. from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1943.

Handelsman was a laboratory assistant to Curt Richter before beginning his surgical training with Alfred Blalock in 1944. From 1945 to 1947, Handelsman served as chief of surgery in the 88th Infantry Division, 391 Station Hospital, Udine, Italy. After his discharge from the Army, he completed his postgraduate training, serving as Alfred Blalock’s chief resident from 1949 to 1950.

Upon completing his training, Handelsman opened a private practice in Baltimore, where he specialized in pediatric surgery, thoracic surgery, and inflammatory bowel disease. He joined the Johns Hopkins faculty as a part-time instructor and advisor in the department of surgery in 1949. He was surgeon-in-charge of the surgical outpatient clinic from 1950 to 1970, surgical director of same-day surgery from 1990 to 1996, and served on many department and university committees. He was also a successful fundraiser for the department and served as his medical school class representative.

At his retirement in 1989, Handelsman was awarded the distinction of associate professor emeritus of surgery.