where did THE CARTER SOCIETY start?
In September 1951, fifteen former residents of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology of the Duke School of Medicine met in Durham, North Carolina and organized the F. Bayard Carter Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Better known as the "Nick Carter Travel Club," the Society is composed of house officers, fellows and faculty of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke. Of those members, Dr. F. Bayard Carter was the first Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University (1931-1964). The constitution denotes,
“The purpose of the Society shall be the promotion of scientific knowledge by assembly and interchange of ideas and practice related particularly to obstetrics and gynecology.”
The Society currently includes over 200 active members, 70 trainee members, over 60 emeritus members and 3 honorary members. Over 50 active members have died since the society was formed. Every fourth year the Society returns to Duke to renew old ties and to observe progress and to "admonish their teachers if there has been no progress." Meetings in other years have spanned the United States from Seattle to Florida, New England to Southern California.
a look back . . .For a reflective look at fifty years of exceptional Duke women's healthcare featuring Dr. Carter, interviewed on DUMC-TV in 1967, please watch this video. |
WHAT DOES THE CARTER SOCIETY CONTRIBUTE?
Within a few years of formation, the members of the Society recognized their obligation to promote the growth of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department. Of the many contributions, a few may be listed:
1) The establishment of a residency loan fund to permit worthwhile trainees to continue their education in the face of financial hardships.
2) Support of laboratories in the department.
3) Establishment of seven professorships in the Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, named for former Chairs and senior faculty members – the Dr. F. Bayard Carter, Dr. Roy T. Parker, Dr. Walter L. Thomas, Dr. E. C. Hamblen, Dr. James Ingram, Dr. Haywood Brown and Dr. W. Allen Addison Professorships. Funded from personal resources and gifts from patients, these professorships now total over $15 million in endowment for the Department. The Carter Society is now involved in helping to fund the Departmental Research Fund (Charles B. Hammond, MD, Research Endowment Fund).
4) The Hammond Research Endowment Fund was established in 1998 to honor Dr. Hammond and provides support for basic and clinical research in the Department. Duke Ob/Gyn's Annual Charles B. Hammond, MD, Research Day is named in his honor, and Charles B. Hammond, MD, Research Awards are presented to trainees based upon their research manuscripts and presentations. See below for more information.
5) The Society has provided portraits of the first four chairs of the Department, Drs. Carter, Parker, Hammond and Brown. These portraits still hang in the Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology Chairman's suite today.
WHERE DOES THE CARTER SOCIETY GO NOW?
Each year the President of the Carter Society participates in our annual Hammond Research Day as a judge, and many members have come back to teach or to host various functions for the residents so they may get a “glimpse” of what the Carter Society could mean to them.
Named to honor Charles B. Hammond, MD, esteemed Chairman Emeritus and third Chairman of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University Medical Center, Research Day is intended to advance medical knowledge, education and research in reproductive medicine. In past years, the Department has invited a distinguished leader in our field to present a lecture on Research Day and to participate in the judging of research presentations.
It is important that we remember our heritage and those who worked so hard to help perpetuate the high quality and activities of the department. We are one of the very few Departments in the United States who have such a significant group of individuals who are invested in their department.
Do you want to be part of making history? You should join us!
ALUMNI, WHERE ARE YOU NOW?
Duke Ob/Gyn is proud to provide information about our recent alumni (2000-2023). Visit bit.ly/DukeObGynAlum2023.
As we continue to expand, we want to ensure that we stay connected to all of our wonderful alumni. As an alumnus/alumna, would love for you to please take a moment to fill out this brief questionnaire to let us know your professional accomplishments. Thank you, and we look forward to learning more about you!