Dr. Gordon Hyde honored with lectureship in vascular surgery
By Josh Shepherd
After listening to the praises and recognitions from peers and colleagues prior to the inaugural presentation of the Gordon L. Hyde Lectureship in Vascular Surgery Wednesday morning, a very grateful Dr. Gordon Hyde commented that the advances that have been made since his retirement barely 19 years ago makes him hunger to be back in surgical residency once more.
“it’s just amazing the new things that I’ve seen and heard about in vascular work in the past several years. We could see those things coming when I retired [in 1997], but it’s all been so quick to become real,” said Dr. Hyde following the lecture.
The UK section of Vascular Surgery in the division of General Surgery established the Gordon L. Hyde Lectureship in Vascular Surgery as a tribute to the surgeon who founded the specialty at the UK Chandler Medical Center. In opening remarks, Dr. Eric Endean, the Gordon L. Hyde Chair in Vascular Surgery, introduced Dr. Hyde to residents and UK faculty as one of the fathers of Vascular Surgery.
“Dr. Hyde is well known nationally for his academic and research contributions to the field. But, on a more personal note, when I first came to UK as a member of its faculty, Dr. Hyde was a mentor and a friend,” Dr. Endean said. “He helped me along with my career and got me my start in the field.”
Dr. Alan Lumsden, Chair of the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery in the DeBakey Heart and Vascular Center at Houston Methodist, considered it a privilege to give the inaugural lecture for this annual event.
“I have read and heard a great deal from Dr. Hyde during my formative years in this field. Because of his groundbreaking work, the University of Kentucky has been very instrumental and influential in the Southern Vascular Society,” said Dr. Lumsden.
But it was Dr. Hyde himself who closed the lectureship portion of the morning with words of deep appreciation to UK. In his trademark bow tie and joyful grin, he informed the audience gathered in the HG 611 auditorium of his personal sense of deja vu. Fifty-four years ago, grand rounds were held in the auditorium every Saturday morning when the Medical Science building was new.
He admitted his first patient in July of 1962.
“I am extremely grateful to the University of Kentucky in letting me be part of the College of Medicine and to eventually do the groundbreaking work that led to the new field of vascular surgery,” Hyde said.
When he and supporters established the Gordon Hyde Professorship, it was meant to foster resident and graduate education, he said. Though he has enjoyed vascular surgery, his primary interest has always been to education.
“UK has touched so many lives. For the life I’ve been privileged to lead, the people with whom I engaged, and to those who played a role in establishing this lectureship, I thank you,” Dr. Hyde concluded.
