Zachary A. Turnbull, MD, MBA, MS, born and raised in Chicago’s Hyde Park community, attended Yale University where he received a degree in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry in 2007.  It was at Yale where his passion for mentorship evolved – values that he holds dear in his profession as an executive anesthesiologist.  At Yale, his interests in preparing the next generation of academics grew exponentially through his immersion into the mission of the Urban Improvement Corps, serving New Haven’s school children of all ages.  At Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Turnbull’s appetite for mentoring and coaching others led him to the underserved, inner city schools of NYC where he revamped and spearheaded an aggressive curriculum at the Health Professions Recruitment and Exposure Program (HPREP) to persuade high school students to seek undergraduate degrees.  And as part of the medical education committee, he also played a pivotal role in the evolution of the Weill Cornell Medical College curriculum.

After extensive research, Dr. Turnbull realized that Weill Cornell’s anesthesiology program, spanning three of New York’s finest medical institutions, would maximize his clinical exposure, challenge critical thinking, and guarantee a world class education in the field of anesthesiology.  This decision has served him well.  Dr. Turnbull holds numerous leadership positions and is the current Vice Chair for Operations and Informatics at Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Anesthesiology and the Medical Director of Perioperative Services and Operations at NewYork Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Campus. 

Dr. Turnbull is devoted to clinical excellence, compliance, education and leveraging technology that systematically improves departmental billing, compliance and the workplace environment.  Uncompromising patient safety and outcomes reflect in his ongoing research that have been accepted to multiple conferences including the Post Graduate Assembly, the New York Academy of Medicine, the Society of Cardiovascular Anesthesiology and the Association of University Anesthesiologists. His peer-reviewed publications shed present-day detail and wisdom into system issues ranging from disparities in healthcare, operational, educational, and clinical workflows.  

In 2019, Dr. Turnbull undertook the urgent assembly and adaptation of NYPH’s perioperative services and COVID response team in confronting the overwhelming demands of our COVID population, both during the acute and recovery phases of the pandemic.  Evidence of excellence developed an enterprise-wide response for all perioperative services. 

Dr. Turnbull also worked tirelessly to establish the Residency Support Council, designed to advance resident morale, education and engagement.  The initiative for ensuring a trusted and mutually respected environment translated into the reimagining of the Faculty Council where he was the junior Chair until his 2021 promotion to the Executive Committee.  In 2019, humbled by his residents, he received the Marjorie Topkins Award for NYPH Teacher of the Year.  During his brief time on faculty, Dr. Turnbull has been recognized for excellence in professionalism, in-and-out of operating room teaching, mentorship and modeling true physicianship. In 2020, Weill Cornell Medicine Healthcare and Policy Research, SC Johnson School of Business honored Dr. Turnbull with the Healthcare Hero award for his powerful prevailing spirit, rapid strategic actions, and exemplary leadership during the pandemic.