Walking through his tightly knit Memphis neighborhood in the late 1940s, Augustus White regularly encountered one question from the concerned elders all around him: “What are you going to do with your life?” Given the extraordinary list of accomplishments that he has achieved, it is safe to assume that Augustus White has made his elders proud. Dr. White is the Ellen and Melvin Gordon Distinguished Professor of Medical Education and professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School, winner of the Bronze Star, author of the definitive work on the biomechanics of the spine, and the recipient of numerous orthopedic awards. And through much of it, Augustus White sat at the crossroads of his own personal history and the history of his country…he set out to be his best at a time when the U.S. was far from a place of racial equality. He would not only succeed personally, but would go on to change the fabric of race relations in the medical world.
The first African-American to graduate from Stanford University School of Medicine and the first African-American orthopedic resident at Yale Medical Center, Augustus White grew up in the segregated south. While there were limits imposed by the wider society, in his home, neighborhood, and school, the sky was the only limit. “My inspirational father, who passed away when I was 8 years old, was a doctor, while my mother was a librarian. My teachers were black, and were profoundly dedicated to ensuring that they squeezed every ounce of talent from us. I was later blessed to have an excellent stepfather, who, as a football and boxing coach, taught me the lessons of sportsmanship.”
And his mother turned those into life lessons. “After I lost in a boxing tournament I told my mom, ‘I don’t feel like going to school today.’ Her response was, ‘Are you sick? Can you walk?’ The lesson was: keep going no matter what.”
Augustus White did press on, attending a prep school where everyone worked in exchange for partial tuition reimbursement. “The level of education at Mount Herman was exceptional, and my time there began to teach me that I really might be able to succeed in life.”
Confidence comes in stages…and it was a brief encounter that forever shifted Augustus White’s vision of what his life could be. “When I was in college at Brown I was leaving class one day when the professor said to me, ‘You are a very good student. Come talk to me about doing a research project.’ This simple interaction altered my life course more than anything else. No one had ever told me that I was a good student. I needed that. It was rare then (and now) for a minority student to be told such a thing.”
In part, Dr. White credits his “never be afraid to fail” attitude for pushing him to great professional heights. “I learned early on to put aside any thoughts that I might fail, and kept going. I aimed high, applying for medical school at Harvard and Stanford; I was waitlisted at Harvard, and in the meantime was accepted to Stanford with a full scholarship.”
And why medicine? Because Augustus White’s talent and determination were driven by the emotions of his early days.“As a young boy I considered several options: doctor, teacher, football coach."
It later struck me that whenever I played cops and robbers or other games, and someone was hurt, I always felt sorry for them. I began to like the idea of helping people in need.
After completing internships at the University of Michigan and Stanford, Dr. White entered the Yale orthopedic residency, where he came under the edifying spell of Dr. Wayne Southwick. “Wayne’s ability to mentor should be canned…he brought an unparalleled level of knowledge and wisdom to the residents. I studied spine surgery with him, which eventually led to my obtaining a Ph.D. with the esteemed Dr. Karl Hirch at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.”
Before that, however, a war intervened. With thoughts of his boyhood in his head, Dr. White penned a note with a solemn promise to Uncle Sam. “Not three weeks after completing my residency I was in Vietnam. I had written myself a note in which I told Uncle Sam that I would give it my all; also, I was excited about my new skills and wanted to do as much surgery as possible. And I was needed. I was five years old when Pearl Harbor was bombed, and I recall marching around to the song ‘Remember Pearl Harbor.’ Over time it became clear that I was alive because others had sacrificed.”
Dr. White signed on to sacrifice his life, if necessary, but not his dignity.
I was a fully trained and confident orthopedic surgeon when I reached Vietnam. Most of the European American doctors I worked with had never competed with an African-American male off the athletic field, and I encountered some hostility.
"I learned the technique of counting to ten before you respond. And I found that there are appropriate times to fight, but that you should give people a chance first. A fundamental tenet of mine is that I treat everyone with respect. If they continue to act poorly, then I decide how to approach them.”
Despite encountering egos and racism, Dr. White took something critical from his military service. “Vietnam pointed up our common humanity. There were no more powerful moments than sitting beside soldiers as they were gradually dying. Also, along with the wonderful Dr. John Feagin, the CEO of our hospital, I worked at a local leper colony. At the military hospital we saw man’s inhumanity to man; at the leper colony we witnessed nature’s inhumanity to man. In the end, however, the common human struggle was evident.”
His sense of duty intact, and his compassion deepened, one day Dr. White put himself even more in harm’s way. “I volunteered to help save a wounded soldier who was stranded on a mountainside. This was in an ‘unsecured’ area, i.e., one that we didn’t control. I knew that I must focus intensely so that I could get the splinting done and we could all get back safely.”
For his bravery and dedication, Dr. White was awarded the Bronze Star. “Having my efforts recognized meant so much, particularly in this patriotic context. I take it as a license to constructively criticize my country when we mess up.”
And when Dr. White himself performed less than perfectly, he learned. “In the melee of helicopters bringing in multiple patients one day, a badly wounded soldier asked me, ‘Am I going to be OK?’ I hurriedly said, ‘Yes, yes, you’ll be fine.’ Although I worked hard to help him, I was wrong…he didn’t make it. That was a significant, difficult lesson. We physicians have to be technicians, but we also must look someone in the eye and be present. Depending on the situation, you may be the last person they interact with.”
As intellectual as he is compassionate, Dr. White is renowned for his standout orthopedic reference book: Clinical Biomechanics of the Spine. “I co-authored the book with Manohar Panjabi, Ph.D. In it, we bring together the biomechanics and clinical care of patients with spine problems. I think it’s fair to say that it is a standard reference for the majority of residents in this country.”
In 2001 Dr. White was honored with the American Orthopaedic Association Alfred R. Shands Jr. Award and Lecture. “In delivering my speech I focused on helping my colleagues change their thinking and behavior with regard to race, pointing out that I was not doing so in the spirit of blame, but of friendship and concern for our patients. After taking my colleagues through a difficult, abbreviated, voyage through the history of racial matters, I asked them to go forth and apply the following criterion to each and every patient: ‘Is this the way I would treat my friend or my family member?’”
Dr. White is devoted to educating others about the unconscious biases in the medical world. He is a founding member of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society, a multicultural organization dedicated to advancing excellent musculoskeletal care for all patients. Dr. White also received the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' AAOS Diversity Award and the AAOS Orthopaedic Research Education Foundation William W. Tipton Jr. M.D. Leadership Award.
I am much inspired by Ruth Simmons, the President of Brown, who says that diversity is an evolving concept. When democracy was in its youth, it was not necessarily what it is now after having been enriched by our desires for progress. So it is with diversity.
Sometimes Dr. White’s first words at the podium are, “Greetings, my fellow humans!” An African-American surgeon, Dr. White is a human being first…and knows that patients get frightened. “I learned something powerful from a surgeon friend of mine who called his patients the night before surgery. Now, I do the same, saying, ‘Mrs. Jones, I wanted to see if you have any last minute questions.’ It takes a mere 30-90 seconds; patients rarely have questions and it means everything to that person that you cared enough to call. I throw in a bit of humor as well, saying, ‘I also thought you’d like to know that I’m sane and sober and intend to get a good night’s sleep.’”
With his genuine nature, warmth, and superb character, Dr. White surely has many fans. But none are more devoted than his wife, three daughters, and two grandchildren. “My wife and I met when I was studying in Sweden. We have one daughter in Stockholm who has a precious little boy. Another daughter lives in Indianapolis and has a delightful 15-month-old; our other daughter lives in Boston. I’m thrilled to enjoy good health, take great enjoyment in music (Jazz and classical), and enjoy traveling to Sweden with my wife.”
Dr. Augustus White…leading the field in its common human struggles and common opportunities for growth.
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