Howard C. Filston Oral History Interview, 2019

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Master transcript and interview audio are only available in the Reading Room. They are not to be released to any form of media or directly quoted.
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Summary

Creator:
Filston, Howard C. and Duke University. Medical Center. Department of Surgery.
Abstract:
Dr. Howard C. Filston, MD, Professor Emeritus of Pediatric Surgery at University of Tennessee Medical Center Knoxville, received his medical training from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. He worked at Duke as a Professor and founding Chief of Pediatric Surgery from 1976 to 1990. He left Duke in 1990 to join the faculty at University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville, where he was Professor of Pediatric Surgery, Chief of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Trauma, and Vice Chair/Education Coordinator in the Department of Surgery until his retirement in 2000. This collection contains 1 oral history conducted on October 5, 2019 by Dr. Justin Barr as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the Interview Filston discusses his early life; education; his decision to become a doctor; the field of pediatric surgery; working with his mentor, Dr. Robert (Bob) Izant; his fellowship with Dr. C. Everett Koop and helping establish the first surgical neonatal intensive care unit in the country; being recruited by Sabiston to come to Duke to as the first trained pediatric surgeon in an academic center in North Carolina; supportive coworkers at Duke; working with Dr. Samuel Katz; being involved in resident education at Duke; and how Sabiston ran the Department of Surgery and the culture of the department.
Extent:
1 Interview (2 transcripts) and 17.54 MB
Language:
English
Collection ID:
OH.FILSTONH

Background

Scope and content:

Includes 1 oral history interview with Dr. Howard C. Filston conducted on October 5, 2019 by Dr. Justin Barr as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

In the October 5, 2019 interview, Filston discusses his early life; education; his decision to become a doctor; the field of pediatric surgery; working with his mentor, Dr. Robert (Bob) Izant; his fellowship with Dr. C. Everett Koop and helping establish the first surgical neonatal intensive care unit in the country; being recruited by Sabiston to come to Duke to as the first trained pediatric surgeon in an academic center in North Carolina; supportive coworkers at Duke; working with Dr. Samuel Katz; being involved in resident education at Duke; and how Sabiston ran the Department of Surgery and the culture of the department.

Biographical / historical:

Dr. Howard C. Filston, MD was born in New York City, New York, on December 29, 1935. He graduated from Shaker Heights High School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, in 1954, where he was valedictorian. He received his AB degree from Harvard University in 1958 and his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in 1962. Filston was a Surgery Intern (1962-1963) and a Surgery Resident (1963-1964 and 1966-1968) at University Hospitals of Cleveland. He was Chief Resident of the Department of Surgery (1968-1969) under Dr. William Holden. He was also the Assistant Chief Resident (1969-1970) and Chief Resident (1970-1971) in the Department of Surgery at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. During his medical training, Filston was Captain in the Chief of Medical Branch in the U.S. Army Research Support Group (1964-1966).

Filston, a pediatric surgeon, has held appointments at the following universities and hospitals: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine as Assistant Instructor of Surgery (1969-1971); Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine as Assistant Professor of Pediatric Surgery (1971-1976); Cleveland Metropolitan General Hospital as Associate Chief of Pediatric Surgery (1971-1976); University Hospitals of Cleveland as Assistant Pediatric Surgeon (1971-1976); Duke University Medical Center as Associate Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatrics (1976-1982), Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatrics (1982-1990), and Chief, Pediatric Surgery Service (1976-1990); and University of Tennessee Medical Center at Knoxville as Professor of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatrics, (1990-2000), Chief, Division of Pediatric Surgery (1990-2000), Vice Chair and Education Coordinator (1992-2000), and Emeritus Professor of Pediatric Surgery (2000).

Filston's memberships include the American Academy of Pediatrics, Surgical Fellow; American College of Surgeons, Fellow; American Pediatric Surgical Association; American Trauma Society; Southern Surgical Association; Tennessee Pediatric Society; and Tennessee Chapter, American College of Surgeons. He has served as the Associate Editor of the "Journal of Pediatric Surgery"; Editorial Board (1991-1997) of "Pediatrics"; and the Guest Editor for Pediatric Surgery Monograph, "Surgical Clinics of North America". He has published 95 papers, books, book chapters, peer-reviewed articles, book reviews, and letters to the editor throughout his career.

Throughout his career, Filston has received many awards and honors including Golden Apple Award for Outstanding Teacher at Duke University Medical Center (1982); Sabiston Award for Outstanding Resident Teaching for the Department of Surgery at Duke University Medical Center (1988); Who's Who in America (1988-2015), Samuel L. Katz Award for Outstanding Resident Teaching in the Department of Pediatrics at Duke University Medical Center (1989); Alpha Omega Alpha National Medical Honor Society (Faculty) at Duke University Medical Center (1989); Faculty Teaching Award in the Department of Surgery at the University of Tennessee Graduate Medical Center Knoxville (1993, 1995); Faculty Service Award in the Department of Radiology at the University of Tennessee Graduate Medical Center (1996); and Jack W. Lacey III, MD Wall of Distinction Induction at the University of Tennessee Graduate Medical Center Knoxville (2017).

Filston was married to Nancy Lee Jameson from June 3, 1961 until her death on November 26, 2002. They had three children. Filston married Sandra Kay Stoutt Filston on May 7, 2005.

Acquisition information:
Accession A2020.011 (transferred by Mary-Russell Roberson, January 2020), Accession A2023.061 (transferred by Mary-Russell Roberson, December 2023)
Processing information:

Processed by Lucy Waldrop: February 2020, December 2023

Arrangement:
Organized into the following series: Interview, October 5, 2019.
Rules or conventions:
DACS

Contents

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Restrictions:

Master transcript and interview audio are only available in the Reading Room. They are not to be released to any form of media or directly quoted.

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], Howard C. Filston Oral History Interview, Duke University Medical Center Archives.