Physicians from United States

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the top 10 most legendary American Physicians of all time. This list of famous American Physicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography's online popularity. Visit the rankings page to view the entire list of American Physicians.

1. #1

   

   Anthony Fauci

   b. 1940

   HPI 80.9154 languages

   American immunologist

2. #2

   

   Daniel Carleton Gajdusek

   1923 - 2008

   HPI 75.0853 languages

   American medical researcher

3. #3

   

   Joseph Murray

   1919 - 2012

   HPI 74.2053 languages

   Joseph Murray is most famous for being the first person to successfully perform a human organ transplant.

4. #4

   

   William P. Murphy

   1892 - 1987

   HPI 73.0756 languages

   William P. Murphy is most famous for his work in the field of forensic medicine. He has been involved in many high-profile cases, including the death of JonBenet Ramsey.

5. #5

   

   Harvey Cushing

   1869 - 1939

   HPI 71.9935 languages

   American neurosurgeon (1869-1939)

6. #6

   

   Frederick Chapman Robbins

   1916 - 2003

   HPI 71.9254 languages

   Frederick Chapman Robbins is most famous for being the founder of the Alcoholics Anonymous.

7. #7

   

   George Minot

   1885 - 1950

   HPI 71.6054 languages

   George Minot was a doctor who discovered that the diet of patients suffering from pernicious anemia was deficient in vitamin B12. He and his colleague, William Murphy, won the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1934 for this discovery.

8. #8

   

   Michael DeBakey

   1908 - 2008

   HPI 71.5030 languages

   American cardiac and vascular surgeon and innovator

9. #9

   

   Harvey J. Alter

   b. 1935

   HPI 71.0952 languages

   Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher who is famous for his contributions to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Along with his colleagues, Alter demonstrated that a significant number of cases of chronic hepatitis were not caused by hepatitis A or B viruses, and he eventually identified the previously...Read moreShow less

   Harvey J. Alter is an American medical researcher who is famous for his contributions to the discovery of the hepatitis C virus. Along with his colleagues, Alter demonstrated that a significant number of cases of chronic hepatitis were not caused by hepatitis A or B viruses, and he eventually identified the previously unknown hepatitis C virus as the cause of these cases. His discovery led to the development of new diagnostic tests and treatments for hepatitis C, which has had a major impact on public health worldwide. Alter was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2020 for his work on the discovery of the hepatitis C virus.

10. #10

    

    Herbert Spencer Gasser

    1888 - 1963

    HPI 70.8454 languages

    Herbert Spencer Gasser is most famous for his work in the field of biochemistry. He was able to synthesize a molecule that was capable of breaking down the sugar molecule, sucrose, into its two component parts, glucose and fructose. This discovery led to the production of a number of artificial sweeteners, including...Read moreShow less

    Herbert Spencer Gasser is most famous for his work in the field of biochemistry. He was able to synthesize a molecule that was capable of breaking down the sugar molecule, sucrose, into its two component parts, glucose and fructose. This discovery led to the production of a number of artificial sweeteners, including aspartame.