Dr. Samuel V. Spagnolo MD

Media Releases

Get to know Pulmonologist Dr. Samuel V. Spagnolo, who serves patients in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Spagnolo, a world-renowned pulmonologist & Professor Emeritus of Medicine, recently retired from the Washington DC VA Medical Center & the George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates after fifty years of service. Forty-seven of those years occurred at the VA-DC facility, following two years on active duty with the United States Public Health Service during the build-up for the war in Vietnam.  

As a clinician, Dr. Spagnolo has a worldwide reputation as a therapist and consultant. In 1981, he served as the medical chest consultant in the care of President Ronald Reagan following the attempted assassination. He was also a consultant in the care of Pope John Paul following the attempted assassination. His involvement was reviewed in Mortal Presidency by Robert Gilbert, Basic Books, New York, NY, 1992 & on Fox News Sunday.

As a medical consultant, he has served an international patient community in Europe and the Middle East. His consulting activities are numerous and have included the Will Rogers Institute and the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. He has also served as a consultant to the White  House physicians, Drs. Burton Lee and Lawrence Mohr, Jr. during the presidency of George Bush. 

Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Dr. Spagnolo received his undergraduate degree from Washington and Jefferson College. He then earned his medical degree from the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

He professionally trained in internal medicine at Boston City Hospital & the Veterans  Administration Hospital. Subsequently, he was a Harvard Fellow in pulmonary diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital. His military service as a U.S. Public Service Officer was spent at the Center for Disease Control in Atlanta, Georgia.

With a commitment to excellence, he is board-certified in internal medicine and pulmonary disease by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM). The ABIM is a physician-led, non-profit, independent evaluation organization driven by doctors who want to achieve higher standards for better care in a rapidly changing world.

Since 1972, Dr. Spagnolo has held many academic and administrative appointments. These include: Director of the Division of Pulmonary Diseases at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences (1978 – 1993); Professor of Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences (1981 – 2017 & Professor Emeritus of Medicine 2017-); Founder and Chairman of the Board Foundation for Veterans Health Care (1997 – 2017); Chief of Staff at the Washington DC VA Medical Center (1998 – 1999); and Senior Attending in Pulmonary Diseases & Medical Director of Respiratory Care Services at the Washington DC VA Medical Center (2000 – 2017).

As a teacher, he has personally directed the training of nearly 100 pulmonary specialists and critical care specialists. He is an active lecturer on the subject of pulmonary and critical care medicine. 

As a researcher, he has directed major research projects funded by foundations and grants. He has testified before the US Congress on various issues related to health care policy and quality of care. He has also supervised the publication of numerous medical journal publications, three textbooks, and a number of book chapters. 

To this day, Dr. Spagnolo continues to be involved in numerous professional and community associations. He is a member of the American College of Chest Physicians (Fellow), the American College of Physicians (Fellow), the American Society of Internal Medicine, the American Medical Association, the American Thoracic Society, and the National Association of Veterans Affairs Physicians and Dentists.

His long and distinguished academic career and his dedication to clinical care of patients, teaching, and research has given him extensive experience in participating in conferences around  the world as well as numerous radio and television appearances. Because of these interests, he founded the Foundation for Veterans’ Health Care in 1997. 

Pulmonology is a medical specialty that deals with diseases involving the respiratory tract. A pulmonologist is an internal medicine physician who specializes in preventing, diagnosing, and treating conditions and diseases that affect the lungs, bronchial tubes, and the respiratory system, including the nose, pharynx, and throat.

On a more personal note, Dr. Spagnolo married the Hon. Dorcas R. Hardy, former  Commissioner of Social Security. His hobbies include gardening and old cars. His favorite professional publications are CHEST® and the New England Journal of Medicine.

Recommended Articles

• COPD: Definition, Epidemiology & Etiology

  Our respiratory system is a complex machine comprised of small parts that ensure its smooth functioning. Even a small hindrance in any of the links can cause a complication in the respiratory system, which could result in severe health issues.There are many types of respiratory diseases, the most...

• New Study: ADHD's Potential Impact on Cystic Fibrosis

  Results from a recent study have shown that 15% of Adults with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) had definitive symptoms for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).While past research had shown a prevalence of anxiety and depression in adults with CF, the incidence of ADHD was described as...

• The Best Ways to Fight CF

  Children are so integral to our lives. As adults, we often want to do everything possible to protect them. Cystic Fibrosis is a disease that is diagnosed during childhood, making it feel overwhelming to parents who are trying to give their child the best quality of life. When getting a new...

• 7 Tips on Living with Asthma

  Asthma is a chronic lung disorder that causes inflammation in the air passage leading to the lungs, making it incredibly difficult to breath. Common symptoms include Shortness of breath, Wheezing, a tight feeling in the chest and Coughing. Asthma can be either Innate (since childhood) or caused by...

• New Cystic Fibrosis Treatment Shows Promise for those with a Specific Gene Mutation

  The data released on July 18th from three clinical trials conducted by Vertex Pharmaceuticals revealed promising results. The drugs that were tested in these trials are three different triple combination regimes that are designed to treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis in patients with the...

• Allergic Bronchitis

  What is allergic bronchitis?Bronchitis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the bronchial tubes usually due to a viral infection of the upper respiratory tract. Bronchitis itself can be acute when the signs and symptoms last no longer than 10 days, and chronic when the signs and symptoms tend...