Dr. Theodore N. Papas, MD (1955- ), holds the Duke Surgical Innovation Distinguished Professorship and is a Professor of Surgery and Vice Dean of Medical Affairs at Duke University. After his surgical training, Pappas joined the Department of Surgery faculty in 1988 where he has remained throughout his career. This collection contains 3 oral history interviews conducted on May 12, 1994 and December 11, 1995 by Dr. James F. Gifford and May 20, 2021 by Dr. Konstantinos Economopoulos as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the 1994 interview, Pappas discusses how he came to be interested in gastrointestinal disease, his surgical training, how he came to Duke, his research, his work at the Gastro-Intestinal Laboratory, the future of the laboratory, and laparoscopic surgery. In the 1995 interview, Pappas discusses the role of the VA Hospital within the Department of Surgery, how Duke residents are trained at the VA Hospital, surgery at the VA Hospital, impact of managed care at the VA Hospital, how work at the VA Hospital will impact the careers of residents, VA patient population, and the emphasis on gastrointestinal research. In the 2021 interview, Pappas discusses his surgical training; how he came to Duke and the details of being hired by Sabiston, including being only the second non-Duke trained person hired by Sabiston in 15 years; Sabiston's incredible memory and how he used it as a recruiting tool among Duke medical students; Sabiston's calculated social interactions; the annual Sabiston Christmas party; observations of how Sabiston interacted with residents and how he ran the Department of Surgery; changes in the Department of Surgery after Sabiston retired; and other memories of Sabiston.
Dr. Thomas A. D'Amico, MD, completed his residency in General Surgery and Thoracic Surgery at Duke University Medical Center (1987-1996) and joined the faculty at Duke University Medical Center where he is the Professor and Vice Chair of Surgery, Chief of the Section of General Thoracic Surgery, Director of the Training Program in Thoracic Surgery, and Chief Medical Officer of the Duke Cancer Institute. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on May 28, 2019 by Susannah Roberson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, D'Amico discusses his educational background, his career in medicine, his residency at Duke in the Department of Surgery under Sabiston, his transition onto the faculty at Duke, and his memories of Sabiston.
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.
Dr. Walter G. Wolfe, MD (1937-2020), emeritus faculty member and a Duke cardiothoracic surgeon, led the cardiac surgery program at the Veterans Administration (VA) turning the struggling VA program into one of the most successful in the country. During his more than 50 year tenure at Duke, he was a cardiothoracic surgeon, clinician researcher, teacher, and mentor. This collection contains 2 oral history interviews conducted on July 14, 1994 by Dr. James F. Gifford and June 5, 2019 by Susannah Roberson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the 1994 interview, Wolfe discusses his career, work of the Pulmonary Physiology Laboratory of which Wolfe was the director, the structure of the Department of Surgery, and the evolution of the Department of Surgery. In the 2019 interview, Wolfe discusses his early life, education, why he decided to join the medical profession, how he came to complete his residency at Duke, his different roles during his career at Duke, what it was like to work for and with Sabiston, and his memories of Sabiston.
Dr. Walter Randolph "Ranny" Chitwood Jr., MD, is a former Duke Surgery Resident. He is known for his work as a cardiothoracic surgeon. He is also the Founding Director of the East Carolina Heart Institute, Emeritus Department of Surgery East Carolina University (ECU) Chair, and Emeritus Professor of the Department of Cardiovascular Sciences at ECU. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on August 5, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, Chitwood discusses his early life, education, family of doctors, how he came to Duke for his residency, his medical career, and his memories of Sabiston.
Dr. W. Gerald Austen, MD, a pioneer in the field of cardiac surgery, was the chief of the Surgical Services at Massachusetts General Hospital for 29 years, as well as a friend and colleague of Dr. David C. Sabiston. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on September 9, 2019 by Emily Stewart and is part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, Austen discusses his early life and education; his work at Massachusetts General Hospital; Dr. David and Agnes Sabiston, including first meeting David Sabiston and his first stroke; his wife, Patty Austen; the history of open heart surgery; and the Duke Department of Surgery.
Dr. William C. DeVries, MD (1943- ) is a cardiothoracic surgeon, known for the first transplant of a total artificial heart (TAH) using the Jarvik-7 model. DeVries completed his surgical residency at Duke, where he trained under Dr. David. C. Sabiston. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on August 20, 2019 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the interview, DeVries discusses his education, work at the University of Utah School of Medicine with Dr. Willem Kolff on the artificial heart, his surgical residency at Duke, memories of Sabiston, and his career.
Dr. William C. Meyers, MD, dedicated his career to pioneering the diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of core muscle injuries, formerly known as athletic pubalgia or sports hernia. He completed his residency and fellowship at Duke University subsequently serving 14 years as Chief for various divisions of surgery prior to leaving Duke. This collection contains 2 oral history interviews conducted on May 8, 1994 by Dr. James Gifford and February 27, 2019 by Dr. Justin Barr. In the 1994 interview, Meyers discusses the Gastrointestinal Research Lab. In the 2019 interview, which is part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project, Meyers reflects on his time as an undergraduate at Harvard and his early interest in journalism; experiences as a soccer player; medical school at Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons; his residency at Duke; experiences with Sabiston; decision to stay at Duke after residency; experience as the program director of the residency program; Chace Lottich, the first female in Duke Surgery; preforming the first liver transplant at Duke and setting up the third liver transplant program in the country; preforming the first laparoscopic surgery at Duke; and leaving Duke for the University of Massachusetts Medical School and UMASS Health System.
William Henry Muller, Jr., attended Duke University School of Medicine and the Johns Hopkins University and was the head of the Department of Surgery at the University of Virginia from 1954 to 1976. This collection contains 1 oral history interview conducted on June 28, 2005 by Jessica Roseberry. In this interview, Muller discusses his background, education, medical career, and his recollections about student life during his time as a medical student at Duke.
William J. Donelan was the executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Duke University Health System (DUHS) and vice chancellor for health affairs at Duke. This collection contains 3 oral history interviews conducted on November 11, 2003 and May 26, 2004 by Jessica Roseberry and March 10, 2020 by Emily Stewart as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project. In the 2003 interview, Donelan discusses his role in the administration of the Duke University Health System. In the 2004 interview, Donelan continues to discuss his role in the administration of the Duke University Health System. In the 2020 interview, Donelan discusses his early life, his educational background, his professional career path at Duke, the business administration side Duke's transformation into a premier academic hospital, his his relationship Sabiston, and Sabiston's legacy at Duke.