A head and neck surgical oncologist, Dr. Marion Couch is professor and interim chair of the Department of Surgery at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and surgeon-in-chief of Fletcher Allen Health Care. She joined the University of Vermont faculty in 2010 as division chief of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery and was appointed interim chair and physician leader of surgery in 2011. She also served as interim chief of ophthalmology and associate vice president of finance for the UVM Medical Group. Dr. Couch grew up in Ithaca, N.Y., and received a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Michigan State University and her medical and doctoral degrees from Rush Medical College. Later she received a Master in Business Administration from Duke University Fuqua Business School. She completed an internship and a residency in otolaryngology at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and began her career there as a faculty member. An accomplished investigator, Dr. Couch created the Division of Surgical Research at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Her research interest is cancer cachexia, a wasting syndrome that affects cancer patients. In addition, she lectures nationally on health care reform and its potential impact on academic medicine.