Barney Brooks, MD (1884-1952)

In 1925, Dr. Brooks was appointed Vanderbilt University School of Medicine’s first professor and chair of the Department of Surgery.

As a teacher Brooks is legendary for introducing the Amphitheater Clinic. Using a newly constructed classroom in Vanderbilt University Hospital (the building now called Medical Center North), he would call down medical students to answer questions on the surgical case being presented, creating an intense and unforgettable experience for trainees.

In addition to caring for patients and training surgeons, Dr. Brooks was actively involved in clinical research, having studied bone regeneration, intestinal obstructions, and a condition affecting the hand, wrist and forearm called Volkmann’s contracture.

Away from work, Dr. Brooks was an avid golfer who is said to have approached the game in an unorthodox manner, supposedly allowing him to beat better players.