BHS Day 24: Levi Watkins, Jr.

For our last Ed, Med & Legal Spotlight in this year's BHS, I wanted to focus on an innovator in one of the fields, so I chose the medical field because the highlight of the person's career was something I was unaware of. It had a huge impact on the medical field, and I wanted to bring some attention to it today. So let's get to the Spotlight!

Source

Name: Levi Watkins, Jr., 1944-2015

Profession: Cardiac surgeon and activist Why is the Spotlight on him today? For his achievements in the medical industry and his efforts to break down racial barriers as a civil rights activist Accomplishments: --Was the first Black student accepted to Vanderbilt University's medical program --Participated in the Montgomery bus boycotts --Conducted research that led to the usage of angiotensin blockers in congestive heart failure
--Was the first Black chief resident in heart surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital
--Performed the first automatic defibrillator implantation surgery, which was successful
--Helped to significantly increase the amount of Black students at Hopkins Medical School while on the school's admissions committee
--Was awarded an Outstanding Alumnus award by Vanderbilt University
--Was the recipient of numerous honorary doctorate's degrees from four prestigious universities
--Was appointed to the national Robert Wood Johnson Minority Faculty Development Program to help increase the amount of minority faculty members throughout the country
--Mentored several prominent members of the medical community
--Was a professor of cardiac surgery and associate dean at Hopkins Medical School
--Served as Maya Angelou's personal cardiac specialist
Further reading links: Baltimore Sun | NY Times | PBS | Black Past

Levi Watkins played a vital part in the development of heart failure treatments, which has helped save the lives of probably millions of people since that first defibrillator implant surgery back in 1980. I think it's pretty awesome that he was able to help further the medical field by bringing in more promising Black faces, but still managed to do so much for the medical community as a whole. I think accomplishments like his should be celebrated, not just during Black History Month or only in medical circles, because he really did change the medical game and it's important that more people are aware of that. I hope you enjoyed and I'll see you tomorrow!