Search

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Richard L. McCann on July 14, 1994 by Dr. James Gifford.
Duration: 00:25:00

McCann discusses the origins and work of the Vascular Surgery Laboratory, as well as his background and research interests. Includes a master audiocassette tape and transcript.

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Richard L. McCann conducted on April 29, 2020 by Taylor Patterson as part of the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:55:15

During the interview, McCann discusses his early life; education; decision to enter the medical profession; how he came to Duke from Cornell; meeting Sabiston for the first at his interview to be a Resident; Sabiston's Monday Conferences and his teaching method, which was based on the Socratic method, as well as his inclusion of classical surgery into his Residents' learning; how Sabiston prioritized the Residents and the Department of Surgery above all else; Sabiston's traditions such as the Christmas Party, Lasagna Party, and Mint Julep Party; how Sabiston kept track of all his Residents and expected grant writing, conference presentations, and published articles; the dichotomy between Sabiston's southern upbringing and his progressive ideas on race and gender in surgery; and other memories of Sabiston and his wife, Aggie. Digital files include transcript (DOCX), Duke's death notice for McCann (DOCX), interview (MP3), consent form (JPG), and TXT files.

Dr. McCullough discusses his background; the persons who influenced his decision to go into medicine; his college education at Columbia University; the reputation of Duke University School of Medicine; the relative youth of Duke School of Medicine; his first impressions of campus; the difference between Duke and Columbia; the honor system at Duke University; his close relationship with Elizabeth Swett; Dr. Wilburt Davison; other influential people at Duke; medical student Dr. Alfred Gras's receipt of penicillin while ill at Duke; Dr. Joseph Beard's dog surgery class; being a part of the first accelerated class (due to the war), class 1943D; his family's attempts to defer his military service until after graduation; the V-12 program for medical students; aspects of Duke campus during wartime; differences in requirements for students in the army and the navy; other members of the class of 1943D; his internship in New Jersey following graduation from Duke; naval training after his internship; seeing Duke classmates on a naval ship in the Pacific; social activities at Duke; ingredients in a drink called "Purple Jesus"; the segregated nature of Duke wards; the syphilis clinic; his return to Duke for his fiftieth reunion; changes in campus; his return to Duke in 1947 as an orthopedic resident with Lenox Baker; Leonard Goldner as a fellow resident; compensation as a resident; being sent to Greensboro to assist with polio patients; the Central Carolina Convalescent Hospital; working in Pennsylvania hospital; being called to go to Korea; remaining in the service after the war; his career after the war; his continuing relationship with Drs. Goldner and Baker in his further medical career; personal health issues; his Davison Club membership; and his membership in the Piedmont Orthopedic Society.

Nevidjon discusses her background; desire to become a nurse; career choices for women in the seventies; choosing to be a nurse instead of a doctor; diploma programs versus college-based programs; deciding on Duke School of Nursing; curriculum at Duke; schedule of Duke classes; curriculum changes in her second year; visionary nature of school of nursing faculty at the time; specific women in the faculty at the time; expectation of faculty that students would attain an advanced degree; male students in graduate program as opposed to undergraduate; males on the nursing service; Wilma Minniear; nursing service's view of school of nursing graduates; working as a ward clerk the summer of sophomore year and as a professional nursing assistant (PNA) the summer of junior year; advantages of getting to know the staff in these positions and then come on staff after graduation; relationship with physicians; tight-knit nature of unit; activism of her class; black studies class; master's program at University of North Carolina; psychiatric nursing; move to Switzerland; working as oncology nurse in Switzerland; advantages of oncology nursing; becoming an administrator; Morris Building; nature of nurse management role upon her return to Duke; difference in Duke and West Coast healthcare; dysfunctional nature of nursing upon her return; changes due to external regulatory environment; chief operating officer role; Mike Israel; Ralph Snyderman; Duke Medical Center becoming a health system; political flak due to acquisition of Durham Regional Hospital; difficulty of integrating two hospitals; being female in upper management at Duke Medical Center; breaking barriers as nurse in advanced leadership position; possibility of nurses unionizing; assessment of current status of nursing school; variety of opportunities within nursing; thoughts about Duke.

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Robert H. Jones on July 14, 1994 by Dr. James Gifford. It is included in the Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project.

Duration: 00:45:00

Dr. Robert H. Jones discusses his career, his research interests, working with Sabiston in the lab at Johns Hopkins and how he was the motivation for Jones to come to Duke for his surgical residency, working for and with Sabiston at Duke, how Sabiston influenced the Department of Surgery, Sabiston's personal leadership style and work with residents, other memories of Sabiston, the origins and development of the Surgical Radioisotope Laboratory, the current cutting edge in the field, and where he sees the field going. Includes a master and use audio cassette tape.

This oral history interviews was conducted with Dr. Walter G. Wolfe on July 14, 1994 by Dr. James F. Gifford.

Duration: 00:40:00

During the 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.

Dr. Montefiori's research and work on Humoral Immune Responses in the AIDS laboratory.

Dr. Cummings discusses his background; his family; his education; Bucknell University's library; Duke University School of Medicine; the affordability of Duke University School of Medicine; being married and being a father as a medical student; World War II; the Army specialized training program; his wife Arlene's job working for Dr. Philip Handler; being sent to Yale by Dr. Davison for a year; missing his OB/GYN training because of time spent at Yale; Wilburt and Adala Davison; his scientific interests as a medical student; Dr. David Tillerson Smith's impact; the Public Health Service; Duke University Medical Center Library; many Duke physicians being away during World War II; other classes at Duke University School of Medicine; the differences between Yale and Duke's medical schools; students helping one another at Duke; Dr. Davison's and Dr. Anlyan's appointments to the board of regents of the National Library of Medicine; his career subsequent to graduation from Duke University School of Medicine, including at the National Institute of Health and directorship of the National Library of Medicine; Mrs. Elizabeth Swett; personal interactions with visiting scientist Dr. Arturo Castiglioni; living in Camp Butner; and interactions with Dr. Davison; Dr. Philip Handler.

Women in the Department of Anesthesiology.

This oral history interview was conducted with Dr. Hilliard Seigler on July 18, 1994 by Dr. James Gifford
Duration: 00:30:00
Hilliard Seigler discusses the Melanoma Immunology Laboratory. Includes a master audiocassette tape, a use audiocassette tape, and trasnscript.

Major subjects in this interview include Dennis' experiences as a student.