Dr. Andrew S. Wechsler, MD, emeritus professor in the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Drexel University College of Medicine, was the Stanley K. Brockman Professor and Chairman of the Department of from 1998 to 2011. Wechsler completed his Residency in General and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center (1973) and afterwards joined the faculty (1974-1988). This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on June 18, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In 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.
John Robinette, a Duke University Hospital administrator, was recruited to Duke University by then Chancellor, Dr. William Anlyan, to become his administrative assistant after meeting him at an Association of American Medical Colleges meeting. This was the start of Robinette's long career at Duke that saw him move in the role of a hospital administrator for Duke University Hospital. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on October 22, 2019 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In 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; his role in building the new Duke Hospital; the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC); working with Sabiston in the role of an administrator; and personal memories of Sabiston.
Dr. Ralph Snyderman, MD, is Chancellor Emeritus of Duke University, James B. Duke Professor of Medicine, and Director of the Duke Center for Research on Personalized Health Care. This collection contains 8 oral history interviews. The interviews conducted on December 14, 1990; March 23, 1993; April 22, 1994; and April 28, 1995 were done by Dr. James Gifford. The April 28, 1995 interview is included in the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. The interviews conducted on March 6, 2003; December 16, 2003; January 16, 2004; and February 23, 2004 were done by Walter E. Campbell for the book "Foundations for Excellence: 75 Years of Duke Medicine". The interview contacted on July 22, 2019 by Dr. Justin Barr is part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interviews, Snyderman discusses his life leading up to the time he spent at the National Institutes of Health, his time at Genentech, accepting the chancellor position at Duke, Duke Medical Center's 75th anniversary, his tenure as chancellor, his background, and his memories of Sabiston.
Dr. Richard Lucas McCann, MD, a vascular surgeon, Duke Professor of Surgery, and Duke Surgery Master Surgeon, joined Duke in 1974 as a Resident and joined the faculty in 1983 after completing his general surgery training. McCann is recognized as a superb surgeon in every domain. Technically, he mastered the anatomical exposure of vascular structures in all areas of the body with exceptional technical speed and efficiency. This collection contains 2 oral history interviews conducted on July 12, 1994 by Dr. James Gifford and April 29, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the July 14, 1994 interview, McCann discusses the origins and work of the Vascular Surgery Lab, his background, and his research interests. In the April 29, 2020 interview, McCann discusses his early life, education, decision to enter the medical profession, how he came to Duke, meeting Sabiston for the first at his interview to be a Resident, Sabiston's Monday Conferences and his teaching method, Sabiston's traditions, how Sabiston kept track of all his Residents, and other memories of Sabiston and his wife, Aggie.
Dr. Walter J. Pories, MD, Professor of Surgery, Biochemistry and Kinesiology at East Carolina University is a graduate of Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut, and received his MD with Honor at the University of Rochester where he also completed his surgical training in general and cardio-thoracic surgery. He served on the faculties of the University of Rochester, Case Western Reserve and East Carolina University where he served as the founding Chairman of Surgery for 19 years. He is currently the Director of the Bariatric Surgery Research Group. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on July 30, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, Pories discusses his early life; education; decision to enter the medical profession; his career; how Sabiston helped him recruit for the Department of Surgery at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University (ECU) when it first started; Sabiston's contributions to the field of surgery through his skill as a surgeon, training surgeons, and his leadership in the American College of Surgeons; and other memories of Sabiston and his wife, Aggie.