Curtis G. Hames

Curtis G. Hames (1920-2005) was a renowned family physician and medical researcher from the United States. His extensive research in the field of epidemiology and preventive medicine has significantly contributed to the understanding of chronic diseases and their prevention.

Early Life and Education[edit | edit source]

Curtis G. Hames was born in 1920 in Claxton, Georgia. He completed his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1943. After serving as a medical officer in the United States Navy during World War II, he returned to Claxton to start his private practice.

Career[edit | edit source]

In 1947, Hames started his private practice in Claxton, where he served the community for over 50 years. He was known for his dedication to his patients and his commitment to improving community health.

In 1961, Hames initiated the Evans County Heart Study, one of the first community-based epidemiological studies in the United States. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, aimed to investigate the causes of heart disease and stroke in the rural population of Evans County. The findings of this study have significantly contributed to the understanding of cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors.

Hames also served as a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina and the Emory University School of Medicine, where he trained future generations of physicians.

Legacy[edit | edit source]

Hames' contributions to medicine and his dedication to his patients have been recognized by several awards, including the Albert Lasker Clinical Medical Research Award in 1998. The American Academy of Family Physicians named him one of the "Top 20 Family Doctors of the 20th Century".