On Friday, June 5, more than 400 people – colleagues, former students, former patients, friends, and family – were brought together at the new Erlanger Park in Chattanooga to honor and celebrate R. Phillip Burns, MD, and the legacy he continues to build.
Dr. Burns’ medical career is defined by commitment, consistency, and care. As Chair of the Department of Surgery at the College of Medicine-Chattanooga for 46 years and a co-founder of University Surgical Associates in 1976, he shaped surgical education, not only in that region, but across the state. Known for his extraordinary commitment to surgical training and excellence in patient care, Dr. Burns set standards that continue to guide the residency program today and into the future. That impact will live on through the R. Phillip Burns, MD, FACS Endowed Chair in Surgery, the first of its kind at the College of Medicine-Chattanooga.
“Endowed chairs are among the most meaningful investments in academic medicine,” said James Haynes, MD, dean of the College of Medicine-Chattanooga. “This endowed chair represents a deeply personal and unique way to honor a friend and extraordinary physician, as it was started not by one individual but by many.”
To date, more than $1 million has been raised toward the initial baseline goal of $1.5 million.
“I am deeply honored that my name has been chosen to be attached to this endowment,” said Dr. Burns. “But the reason we have evolved to have such an effort started or considered is not because of my activities but because of the collective success of the College of Medicine-Chattanooga, Erlanger, and University Surgical Associates over the past 50 years.”
For more information about the Burns Legacy Fund, visit giving.uthsc.edu/burns.
