UTHSC’S DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

NEW CO-DIRECTOR OF THE PRINCIPLES OF CLINICAL MEDICINE COURSE IS EXCITED ABOUT HIS ROLE TO TEACH THE NEXT GENERATION OF PHYSCIANS

Dr. Travis Webb will work with medical students teaching clinical skills for student clerkships

Peggy Reisser, Strategic Communications Manager

Travis Webb, MD, MHPE, FACS, says his new position in the College of Medicine at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center allows him to do what he loves – practice clinical medicine and surgery and educate future physicians.

“I love academic medicine,” Dr. Webb says. “For me, the best aspect of the job is when I can have a long-term impact on learners and patients by teaching and practicing surgery in the clinical environment.”

Dr. Webb is a professor of general surgery in the Division of Trauma and Critical Care in the College of Medicine. He also serves as co-director for the Principles of Clinical Medicine course. The course instructs first- and second-year medical students in the basics of clinical medicine, including initial patient encounters, histories, physical exams, point-of-care ultrasound, evidence-based medicine, and statistics.

He comes to UTHSC from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, where he completed his residency, fellowship, and was ultimately promoted to the rank of professor in the Division of Trauma/Critical Care in 2015. He also served as vice chair for trauma and critical care surgery at Froedtert Memorial Lutheran Hospital and Medical College of Wisconsin from 2014-2017. Most recently, he served as the Associate Dean for Curriculum at MCW until 2021.

“I spent a number of very productive years in Milwaukee, but I have come to recognize and truly appreciate that a change in environment is like a breath of fresh air. There are so many opportunities for growth here in Memphis, and I’m excited to be a part of the clinical and educational missions at UTHSC and Regional One Hospital.” he says. His clinical practice is at Regional One Health in the Trauma/ Critical Care Division.

“The opportunity to serve the community as a trauma surgeon is really an honor,” he continues. “It’s a privilege to be able to provide such a vital service to the community.”

Dr. Webb holds many honors and awards as a physician and a teacher. He twice received the Aprahamian Faculty Teacher of the Year Award for surgical resident teaching at the Medical College of Wisconsin and was honored with multiple medical student teaching awards. In 2012, he received the Association for Surgical Education Phillip J Wolfson Outstanding Teacher Award.

In 2022, he was inducted as a member of the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. The American College of Surgeons created this selective society to honor outstanding surgical educators and to promote the educational mission of the

American College of Surgeons.

Dr. Webb has been very active with the National Board of Medical Examiners, the Journal of Surgical Education and the Journal of Graduate Medical Education for both of which he serves as Associate Editor, and SESAP (Surgical Education and Self-Assessment Program). He also serves as the chair for the American College of Surgeons General Surgery Review Course held annually during the ACS Clinical Congress.

“We are thrilled to have Dr. Webb join the Department of Surgery,” David Shibata, MD, FACS, FSSO, FASCRS, the Harwell Wilson Alumni Endowed Chair in Surgery, professor

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and chair of the Department of Surgery said. “His leadership abilities, engagement with education and clinical expertise will make him an extraordinary asset to UTHSC and our Department.”

In his off time, Dr. Webb says he loves playing music, exercising, hiking, rock climbing and traveling. “I certainly love live music, good food and hospitality, which makes Memphis a great place to be.”

GENERAL SURGERY RICHARD JOHNSON, DO

Dr. Johnson will join the UTHSC Department of Surgery as an Assistant Professor in the Division of General Surgery. Following medical school at Des Moines University, he completed his general surgery training at the University at Buffalo. He underwent additional fellowship training surgical training in minimally invasive surgery and endoscopy at The Ohio State University. He is currently an Assistant Professor of Surgery at OSU.