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This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Layton F. Rikkers on February 25, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:22:04

During the interview, Rikkers discusses his career; how he chose to become a surgeon; his great admiration of Sabiston; taking over the editorship of "Annals of Surgery" from Sabiston including meeting Sabiston for an interview for the position, the changes he implemented, and how Sabiston's wife, Agnes, packed up and shipped all the "Annals of Surgery" materials after Sabiston's stroke to send to Rikkers in Wisconsin so he could start working on it immediately; and other memories of Sabiston. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Janet E. (Betsy) Tuttle-Newhall on April 29, 2020 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:54:27

During the interview, Tuttle-Newhall discusses her first interaction with Sabiston during her residency at the New England Deaconess Hospital, her fellowship at Duke with Dr. Pierre Clavien, her experience as faculty at Duke, her pregnancies and maternity leave during her tenure, and her professional experiences after she left Duke. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Stuart J. Knechtle on February 18, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:52:19

During the interview, Knechtle discusses his educational background; how he decided to become a transplant surgeon; how he selected Duke for his residency; his experience as a surgical resident and chief at Duke under Sabiston; how Sabiston influenced and helped to shape his career in medicine by encouraging research, conference attendance, and making introductions to other surgeons; Sabiston's rules for dress, food, and drink as a means to establish discipline and professionalism; Sabiston's Christmas parties; Sabiston's interest in the history of surgery; and his warm memories of Sabiston and Sabiston's family. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (MP3), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. John A. Mannick on July 31, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:16:06

During the interview, Mannick discusses his early life; educational background; his research and career; having a collegial and professional friendship with Sabiston, with the two seeing each other at academic surgical conferences; Sabiston's influence on the field of surgery as being, to Mannick, the symbol of the modern scientific based academic surgeon running a scientific based academic surgical department turning out future professors; Sabiston poaching Ted Pappas from Mannick and the Brigham and Women's Hospital; Sabiston's leadership style; Sabiston's intense personal drive and pleasant personality; and other memories of Sabiston. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with John Robinette on October 22, 2019 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 01:24:37

During the interview, Robinette discusses his education; career at Duke, starting as an administrative assistant for Dr. William Anlyan and eventually moving into the role of a hospital administrator working with Sabiston closely on operating rooms; his experiences building the new Duke Hospital; working with Sabiston in the role of an administrator; the history of the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) and its importance to Sabiston and Duke University; Sabiston's culture as one high standards, high work ethic, and fairness; changes implemented by Sabiston such as separate lounges for doctors, residents, nurses, housekeeping, etc., private hospital rooms, and relaxing visiting hours; the importance of academics and research in the surgical program to Sabiston; the corporatization of hospitals; memories of Dr. Joseph Greenfield; and personal memories of Sabiston and his wife Aggie. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Gregory S. Georgiade on February 17, 2022 by Dr. Konstantinos Economopoulos as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:42:11

During the interview, Georgiade discusses his background and parents, especially his father, Dr. Nicholas Georgiade; his education; experiences that led him to want to become a surgeon including his undergraduate summer job as a scrub assistant; how he came to Duke for his surgical training; how differently Sabiston treated medical students from the residents, Sabiston's high expectations for residents which included both how to dress and how to conduct yourself appropriately; how Sabiston ran the surgery residency program, which, under Sabiston, was considered one of the best both nationally and internationally; how Sabiston should be recognized for his insight and surgical innovation for his program at Duke; and other memories of Sabiston. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (M4A), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Courtney M. Townsend Jr on January 20, 2022 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:31:58

During 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 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. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (M4A), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Susan Chace Lottich on July 25, 2019 by Susannah Roberson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:38:18

During the interview, Lottich discusses her early life; education; her love of science and how that put her on the path to become a doctor; why she decided to become a surgeon; why she chose Duke for undergraduate, medical school, and medical training; her experiences and reflections of what it was like to be the first female surgeon to graduate from Duke; her interest in breast cancer research, treatment, and patient advocacy; Sabiston's expectations from his surgery residents; how working for Sabiston prepared her to open her own breast clinic; and other memories of Sabiston and her experiences while at Duke. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (MP3), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Susan Clayton on February 21, 2022 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:50:32

During the interview, Clayton discusses her background; becoming a single parent and having to find work to support her two young daughters; getting hired as a Staff Assistant in the Department of Surgery and later discovering she was the only applicant because of Sabiston's reputation; Sabiston's high expectations of the office staff and all people who worked for him, which lead to a high turnover rate; her experiences as the Residency Coordinator; the supportive nature of the Department of Surgery office staff; details of her roles in the Department of Surgery and other Staff Assistants; having to work three Saturdays a month; and other memories of Sabiston. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (MP3), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Paul R. Newman on October 30, 2019 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 01:01:16

During the interview, Newman discusses his education; how he became interested in the Hospital Administration program at Duke; becoming an assistant football coach at Duke to help pay for graduate school; how he chose to pursue working in hospital administration over a career as a foot coach; the details of his job as a hospital administration supporting clinical chairs in academic departments, with Sabiston being one of them; experiences working at the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC), including the merger of the surgical and medical PDC; the details of his role as a hospital administrator; the creation of the Duke University Health System; Sabiston's control over the Building Fund; and his memories of working with Sabiston as a master educator, master politician, and the tremendous influence he had at both Duke and on a national level. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (MP3), consent form (PDF), and TXT files.

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Douglas S. Tyler on June 10, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:49:10

During the interview, Tyler discusses his early life; education; decision to become a physician; meeting Sabiston for the first time for his interview for residency; experiences with Sabiston as a resident in general surgery and as the Chief Resident in Surgery; changes in the Department of Surgery that Sabiston was slow to enact such as the residents' call schedule and surgical specialization, Sabiston's fear based training methods that created a competitive culture that is not acceptable by today's standards; the lack of racial and gender diversity in the Department of Surgery, especially the lack of women in all surgical training programs; his experiences working in a research lab at Duke on HIV research that Sabiston selected for him over his preferred area of research in breast cancer; his fellowship in surgical oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, which Sabiston did not support; coming back to Duke to start his academic career, other memories of Sabiston and his wife, Aggie; and his reasons for leaving Duke. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Walter Randolph "Ranny" Chitwood Jr. on August 5, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.
Duration: 01:28:40
During the interview, Chitwood discusses early life, his undergraduate and medical school education, coming from a family of doctors, how he came to Duke for his residency, his residency at Duke, his memories of Sabiston, how Sabiston prepared residents to present, how Sabiston helped him make medical connections during a vacation to England, how Sabiston helped him move from Duke to East Carolina University after residency, interest in the history of medicine, involvement with the da Vinci Robot, and his medical career.
Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. James L. Cox on August 20, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:29:40

During the interview, Cox discusses his early life; education; decision to become a surgeon; how he came to Duke for his surgical residency; experiences with Sabiston as a surgical resident, faculty member, and mentor referring to Sabiston as the greatest surgical teacher that ever lived; how Sabiston shaped his research experience at Duke; Sabiston's impeccable bedside manner; leaving Duke for Washington University; and other memories of Sabiston. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Andrew S. Wechsler on June 18, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:57:53

During the interview, Wechsler discusses his early life, education, decision to enter the medical profession, decision to switch from cardiology to cardiac surgery, experiences with Sabiston as a resident and faculty member at Duke, what is was like to move from the North to the South in the seventies, Sabiston's rigid but principled manner, experiences offered to him because of Sabiston's support, reestablishing the cardiac surgery program at the Durham VA, leaving Duke to become a professor and chair in the Department of Surgery at the Medical College of Virginia, and other memories of Sabiston and his wife, Aggie. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.WAV), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Harvey J. Cohen on February 24, 2020 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.
Duration: 00:29:50
During the interview, Cohen discusses his educational background and how he became a doctor, his career in medicine, his residency at Duke in the Department of Medicine, his transition onto the faculty at Duke, his time as the Chair of the Department of Medicine, how he became involved in the field of geriatrics, his work in the Duke Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, his memories of Sabiston both as a resident and as a Duke Faculty member, Sabiston's support of the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development, and the Department of Surgery's involvement in the Center for the Study of Aging and Human Development. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.MP3), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Thomas A. D'Amico on May 28, 2019 by Susannah Roberson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.
Duration: 00:35:11
During the interview, D'Amico discusses his educational background and how he became a doctor; his career in medicine; his residency at Duke in the Department of Surgery under Sabiston; his transition onto the faculty at Duke; his memories of Dr. David Sabiston from his time in residency as an extremely dedicated teacher, very punctual, teaching with a Socratic Method, and Sabiston's aphorisms. D'Amico also discusses Sabiston's efforts to include more women and people of color in the Department of Surgery, his national reputation, his demeanor, what he was like as a boss, and his experiences with Sabiston's wife and the department Christmas parties. Digital files include transcript (.DOCX), interview (.WAV), and consent form (.PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. John L. Weinerth on July 28, 2021 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 01:08:40

During the interview, Weinerth discusses his background; education; how he came to Duke for his medical training; his time in the Navy where he helped build a tissue bank on the West Coast; what was like to be a resident in the seventies; memories of Sabiston as his teacher, colleague, and friend; Sabiston's principles, high expectations, dress code, and desire to always do better; and how Sabiston helped him in his career by making him one of the first of two Urology Transplant Fellows. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (MP3), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. John B. Hanks on April 17, 2021 by Dr. Justin Barr as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 01:10:16

During the interview, Hanks discusses his family; early life in Washington, DC; education; how he came to be a doctor and why he picked his specialty; how he came to Duke for his residency and fellowship; working under Sabiston as a resident and chief resident and his unrelenting perfectionism; his research at Duke; his relationship with Sabiston after he left Duke; other memories of Sabiston; and recollections of the people he worked with at Duke during his residency and fellowship. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (M4A), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Barbara Parnell on April 5, 2021 by Dr. Konstantinos Economopoulos as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:15:59

During the interview, Parnell discusses her direct memories of Sabiston including her first memory of him on his first day at Duke, as well as her memories of him while working as the Coordinator for the Sabiston Surgical Society; the type of work she did for Sabiston; his "protocol" for dress and appearance; his passion for education and patient care; his nickname of "The Man"; his reputation among the residents and the excellence he demanded; and his rose garden. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (M4A), and consent form (PDF).

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Craig L. Slingluff Jr. on April 18, 2021 by Justin Barr as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 01:47:06

During the interview, Slingluff discusses his early life; education; why he decided to join the medical profession; how he came to Duke for his residency; his memories of Sabiston including personal interactions, "Monday Afternoon Conferences", and Sabiston's "tough love"; recollections of the people he worked with at Duke during his residency and research fellowship and the camaraderie that developed between them leading to the creation of the Baron Van Wassenaer Society; his research with Dr. Hilliard Seigler working on melanoma research and patients with his subsequent decision to go into surgical oncology; and how he ended up back at the University of Virginia as a member of their faculty. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), interview (MP3), and consent form (PDF).