Layton F. Rikkers Oral History Interview, 2020

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Summary

Creator:
Duke University. Medical Center. Department of Surgery.
Abstract:
Dr. Layton (Bing) F. Rikkers, MD, Professor Emeritus of Surgery at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he served as the A.R. Curreri Professor of Surgery and Chairman, is a master surgeon and internationally recognized authority on surgical disorders of the liver. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on February 25, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, Rikkers discusses his career, his admiration of Sabiston, taking over the editorship of "Annals of Surgery" from Sabiston, and his memories of Sabiston.
Extent:
1 Interview (1 transcript) and 5.53 MB
Language:
English
Collection ID:
OH.RIKKERSL

Background

Scope and content:

Includes 1 oral history interview with Dr. Layton (Bing) F. Rikkers conducted on February 25, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

In the February 25, 2020 interview, Rikkers discusses his career, his admiration of Sabiston, taking over the editorship of "Annals of Surgery" from Sabiston, and his memories of Sabiston.

Biographical / historical:

Dr. Layton (Bing) Rikkers, MD, was born in a small town in Wisconsin equidistant between Madison and Green Bay. Growing up, Rikkers was a fisherman, Eagle Scout, and the Valedictorian of his high school class. He attended the University of Wisconsin for his undergraduate studies and Stanford University School of Medicine for his medical degree (1970). Rikkers went to the University of Utah to complete his Surgical Residency (1970-1976) where he met his wife, Deedee, who was a college student. They married after she graduated. Deedee was an English literature major and was the sole financial support for the family while Rikkers was in medical school. Rikkers was also a Research Fellow in Hepatology at the Royal Free Hospital in London, England 1973-1974) and a Research Fellow in Surgical Hepatology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia (1976-1977).

Rikkers academic career began at the University of Utah where he obtained National Institute of Health (NIH) funding to study hepatic physiology and variceal hemorrhage; the study of portal hypertension was his primary interest throughout his career. After the University of Utah, Rikkers moved to the University of Nebraska to become the Chairman of Surgery where he obtained an R01 grant to support a clinical trial to study DSRD vs. TIPS for portal hypertension. In 1996, he was recruited back to the University of Wisconsin to become the Chairman of Surgery. He remained in that position until 2008.

Rikkers is a master surgeon and internationally recognized authority on surgical disorders of the liver. As a surgeon, Rikkers often spoke about the importance of self-care and surgeon wellness. He describes surgeon wellness as making time for your spouse or partner, your children, and yourself, as well as cultivating other interests and passions outside of surgery to help balance your life and carry you forward when you are no longer a surgeon.
Throughout his career, Rikkers mentored many surgeons, surgical residents, and medical students. He has written more than 200 publications on portal hypertension, hepatobiliary surgery, education, and leadership. Rikkers served the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract (SSAT) as the Recorder (1988-1991), Secretary (1997-2000), and President (2001-2002). He was recognized for many contributions to the organization with the award of the SSAT Founders Medal in 2010. Among many leadership positions Rikkers has held in American surgery, most notably he completed a 14 year tenure as Editor-in-Chief of "Annals of Surgery" in 2011, and from 1988 to 1995 served as a Director and Chair of the American Board of Surgery.

Acquisition information:
Accession A2020.050 (transferred by Mary-Russell Roberson, July 2020)
Processing information:

Processed by Lucy Waldrop: September 2020

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series: Interview, February 25, 2020.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Subjects

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Personal Name(s):
Sabiston, David C., 1924-2009
Rikkers, Layton F.
Corporate Name(s):
Duke University. Medical Center
Duke University. Medical Center. Department of Surgery
Topical Term(s):
Faculty.
Surgeons.

Contents

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Terms of access:

Copyright for Official University records is held by Duke University; all other copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.

Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Layton F. Rikkers Oral History Interview, Duke University Medical Center Archives.