Levi Watkins Jr., MD, has an enduring legacy as a cardiovascular surgeon, mentor and advocate, and Vanderbilt’s John Tarpley, MD, recently shared his reflections about the remarkable impact of his friend and colleague, both on the medical profession and on the lives of others.
On June 30, John Tarpley, M.D., retired after 23 years of service at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the Nashville VA Medical Center. The next day, he packed a suitcase, and on July 2 he boarded a Kenya-bound plane, a move that was absolutely no surprise to all who know him.
An estimated 5 billion people — two-thirds of the world’s population — do not have access to surgery because of a lack of facilities, money and trained surgeons and anesthesiologists.
Andre Churchwell, M.D., George Hill, Ph.D., Kevin Johnson, M.D., and John Tarpley, M.D., reflect on the life and legacy of Levi Watkins Jr., M.D.
The General Surgery residency program at Vanderbilt School of Medicine is getting a new program director, but it won’t be a new face.
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