Courtney M. Townsend Jr. Oral History Interview, 2022

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Summary

Creator:
Duke University. Medical Center. Department of Surgery.
Abstract:
Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr., MD, is the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB). He is a highly esteemed surgical educator who is also a Professor of Surgery, Professor of Physicians Assistants Studies, and graduate faculty in the Cell Biology Program. Townsend also served as the Editor-In-Chief of the "Sabiston Textbook for Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice" for the 16th through 20th editions. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on January 20, 2022 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, Townsend discusses his background; his decision to become a surgeon; his education and training; his time in the Navy, becoming the Editor-In-Chief for the "Textbook of Surgery" after Sabiston, as well as his experiences in that role; Sabiston's influence on the field of surgery; how Townsend shaped surgical resident education at his institution; the importance of developing a workforce that looks like the population being served; and his memories of Sabiston and his wife Agnes (Aggie) Barden Sabiston.
Extent:
1 Interview (1 transcript) and 11.3 MB
Language:
English
Collection ID:
OH.TOWNSENDC

Background

Scope and content:

Includes 1 oral history interview with Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr conducted on January 20, 2022 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.
In the January 20, 2022 interview, Townsend discusses his background; his decision to become a surgeon; his education and training; his time in the Navy, becoming the Editor-In-Chief for the "Textbook of Surgery" after Dr. David Sabiston, as well as his experiences in that role; Sabiston's influence on the field of surgery; how Townsend shaped surgical resident education at his institution; the importance of developing a workforce that looks like the population being served; and his memories of Sabiston and his wife Agnes (Aggie) Barden Sabiston.

Biographical / historical:

Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr., MD, was born in Lubbock, Texas, and later his family moved to Paris, Texas. His father was a small town surgeon and general practitioner. Townsend decided at an early age that he also wanted to become a surgeon. He received his undergraduate degree in History/English from the University of Texas at Austin and attended the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) for medical school in 1965; he also completed his General Surgery Residency there. In 1974, Townsend went to the University of California, Los Angeles to complete his Surgical Oncology Fellowship. In 1976 he began his two year service in the Navy, working as Staff Surgeon and Surgical Director in the Intensive Care Unit at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland. After his time in the Navy, he was recruited to come back to UTMB in 1978.

He began his career at UTMB as an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, and, in 1981, he was promoted to the Robertson-Poth Associate Professor of Surgery. In 1982, he was appointed Director of the Surgical Research Laboratory at UTMB. From 1983 to 1995, he was the Robertson-Poth Professor in the Department of Surgery, and, from 1987 to 1995, he was Interim Director of the UTMB Cancer Center. Townsend also is a Professor of Physicians Assistant Studies (began in 1989), the John Woods Harris Distinguished Chairman (1995-2013), graduate faculty in the Cell Biology program (began in 2001), and, since 2009, the Robertson-Poth Distinguished Chair in General Surgery.

Townsend has received numerous awards and honors including becoming the President of the American College of Surgeons (2016-2017) and receiving the Inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award from UTMB Academy of Master Clinicians (2017). He also served as the Editor-In-Chief of the "Sabiston Textbook of Surgery: The Biological Basis of Modern Surgical Practice" for the following editions: 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th.

Acquisition information:
Accession A2022.066 (transferred by Mary-Russell Roberson, August 2022)
Processing information:

Processed by Lucy Waldrop: September 2022

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series: Interview, January 20, 2022.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Subjects

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Personal Name(s):
Townsend, Courtney M., Jr.
Sabiston, David C., 1924-2009
Sabiston, Agnes (Barden)
Corporate Name(s):
University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston. Department of Surgery
Topical Term(s):
Faculty.
Education, Medical.
General Surgery.

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], Courtney M. Townsend Jr. Oral History Interview, Duke University Medical Center Archives.