Celebrating Black History Month with Dr. 杜克大学

As North Oaks celebrated Black History Month, several of our employees shared their inspirations in Black culture.

Dr. Marquinn 杜克大学, medical director of our Trauma Program, found inspiration in a Black 路易斯安那州n, Dr. Vivien 托马斯。. 

托马斯。, who was born in 1910 in Lake Providence, 路易斯安那州, worked in a medical lab most of his career. Despite never obtaining a medical degree, 托马斯。 developed several cardiovascular procedures that saved lives in the 1940's. He battled racism and socio-economic hardship throughout his life.

Those struggles never pulled him away from pioneering in the medical field. 

Dr. 杜克大学 said his life is inspirational.

“A little while before I started medical school, I happened upon the movie called, Something the Lord Made. I decided to watch it, as I was getting ready to start my career as a doctor, and the subject matter was focused on medicine,他分享道. 

托马斯。 developed a procedure in 1946 to improve circulation by correcting the transposition of the aorta and pulmonary arteries. 呼叫ed an atrial septectomy, he so flawlessly executed it that a colleague remarked, ”薇薇安, this looks like something the Lord made.” 

托马斯。’ medical contributions, which also included developing a procedure to treat “Blue Baby Syndrome,” coupled with the racial adversity he faced during the time motivates Dr. 杜克大学 to this day. 

“I found the film remarkable. Seeing what Dr. 托马斯。 had to endure, as well as seeing his contributions to medicine, inspired me,” he remarked. “There were times when I doubted if I could be successful. Remembering his story provided me with a reminder to keep working hard and not give up.” 

托马斯。 never graduated from college but was later given an honorary doctorate from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, 马里兰.  

To learn more about Dr. 杜克大学, 点击这里.