Eugene A. Stead

Dr Eugene A Stead visiting professor series

Eugene A. Stead, Jr. (1908–2005) was an influential American physician and educator best known for establishing the Physician Assistant (PA) profession. His innovative approach to medical education and healthcare delivery has had a lasting impact on the medical field, particularly in the United States.

Early Life and Education

Eugene Anson Stead, Jr. was born in 1908 in Atlanta, Georgia. He pursued his undergraduate education at Emory University and later received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Stead's early career was marked by a strong interest in cardiology and medical research, which would influence his later work in medical education and healthcare delivery.

Career

After completing his medical training, Stead joined the faculty at Emory University School of Medicine, where he began to develop his ideas on medical education. In 1946, he moved to Duke University, where he served as the chairman of the Department of Medicine. It was at Duke that Stead's vision for a new healthcare profession began to take shape.

Creation of the Physician Assistant Profession

In the mid-1960s, Stead recognized the need for a new type of healthcare provider. This realization came at a time when the United States was facing a shortage of primary care physicians. Stead envisioned a profession where individuals, with a foundation of healthcare experience, could be trained quickly to provide diagnostic and therapeutic care under the supervision of a physician.

In 1965, Stead established the first Physician Assistant program at Duke University. The program was innovative, drawing on his experiences in medical education and the model of fast-track training used during World War II to quickly prepare medics and corpsmen for service. The first class consisted of four former Navy corpsmen and set the foundation for what would become a rapidly expanding profession.

Legacy

Eugene A. Stead's work in establishing the PA profession has had a profound impact on healthcare in the United States and around the world. Today, PAs are integral to the healthcare system, providing a wide range of services in various specialties and settings. Stead's vision of a flexible, responsive healthcare workforce has contributed significantly to the accessibility and quality of care.

Stead's contributions extend beyond the creation of the PA profession. He was a pioneer in medical education, advocating for a more practical, hands-on approach to training physicians. His ideas have influenced the development of residency programs and the approach to medical education in the United States.

Death and Honors

Eugene A. Stead, Jr. passed away in 2005. His legacy is honored through various awards and recognitions, including the establishment of the Eugene A. Stead, Jr. Center for Physician Assistants at Duke University. His work continues to inspire new generations of healthcare professionals and educators.

See Also

• Physician Assistant
• Medical education
• Duke University School of Medicine