H. Gilbert Welch, MD, MPH
Professor of Medicine, Community & Family Medicine, The Dartmouth Institute
The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth
Professor of Business Administration (adjunct), Tuck School of Business
Professor of Public Policy (adjunct), Dartmouth College
Phone
(603) 653-0836
Education
- MPH., University of Washington, 1990
- MD., University of Cincinnati Medical Center, 1982
- BA., Harvard University, 1976
Primary Contact
Suzanne Burge
(603) 653-0824
Suzanne.L.Burge@Dartmouth.edu
Affiliations
Medical Staff, White River Junction, VA, White River Junction, Vermont
Areas of Expertise
Dr. Welch is a general internist whose research focuses on the problems created by medicine's efforts to detect disease early: physicians test too often, treat too aggressively and tell too many people that they are sick. Most of his work has focused on overdiagnosis in cancer screening: in particular, screening for melanoma, cervical, breast and prostate cancer. He is the author of the books, Should I be Tested for Cancer? Maybe Not and Here's Why" (UC Press 2004) and more recently, "Overdiagnosed: Making People Sick in the Pursuit of Health" (Beacon Press 2011).
Research
Observational intensity bias associated with illness adjustment: cross sectional analysis of insurance claimsBMJ, Feb. 21, 2013; BMJ 2013;346:f549: Effect of Three Decades of Screening Mammography on Breast Cancer
N. Engl J Medicine, November 21, 2012; 367(21):1998-2005 Repeat Testing Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Arch Intern Med., November 19, 2012; 172(22):745-51 Likelihood that a woman with screen-detected breast cancer has had her "life saved" by that screening
Arch Intern Med, 2011; 171:2043-46 Geographic Variation in Diagnosis Frequency and Risk of Death among Medicare Beneficiaries
JAMA, 2010; 305(11):1113-18 Overdiagnosis in Cancer
J Natl Cancer Inst, 2010; 102:605-13 Screening mammography—a long run for a short slide?
New Engl J Med, 2010; 363:1276 Overdiagnosis and mammography screening
BMJ, 2009; 339:b1425 Prostate Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment After the Introduction of Prostate-Specific Antigen Screening: 1986 – 2005
JNCI, August 2009; 101:1325-29 The Natural History of Invasive Breast Cancers Detected by Screening Mammography
Arch Intern Med, 2008; 168:2311-16
In the Media
"What Angelina Jolie Forgot to Mention" CNN Opinion Piece, May 17, 2013 »"Breast Practices: The Mammogram Dilemma" Los Angeles Times Op-ed, February 21, 2013 »
"Should All Women Over 40 Get Annual Mammograms?" The Wall Street Journal, February 18, 2013 »
"Cancer Survivor or Victim of Overdiagnosis?" NY Times Op-Ed, November 21, 2012 »
"Testing What We Think We Know" NY Times Op-Ed, August 20, 2012 »
"Healthcare: The Testing Glut" L.A. Times Op-Ed, May 2, 2012 »
"If You Feel O.K., Maybe You Are O.K." N.Y. Times Op-Ed, February 27, 2012 »
"A Doctor’s Vision for Medicare" LA Times Op-Ed, October 16, 2011 »
"You Have to Gamble on your Health" N.Y. Times Op-Ed, October 11, 2011 »
"Diagnosis as Disease" L.A. Times Op-Ed, May 6, 2011 »