Trauma Research Center
Department of Surgery
James "Red" Duke, MD

Trauma Research Center

   Red Duke Day 


James H. "Red" Duke, MDJames Henry "Red" Duke, Jr. was born and reared in Central Texas with strong Southern Baptist traditions and the accompanying work ethics. He attended secondary school, participated in athletics, ran five paper routes, sold magazine subscriptions, dug ditches, picked cotton, and was the purveyor of poultry in Hill County. At the same time, Red attained the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America - Eagle Scout. BSA later honored him with the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award.

Red Duke matriculated into the A&M College of Texas where he received a B.S. Degree in Economics in 1950. As a result of being a commissioned officer, he became a member of the 67th Medium Tank Battalion of the Second Armor Division, and ultimately served one year in Germany. Upon returning to Texas, Red enrolled in the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in 1956 where he developed a deep fascination with virtually every facet of medicine and learned to ask the ultimate question - Why? He completed an internal medicine internship at Parkland Memorial Hospital but remained deeply interested in the surgical discipline. During his surgical residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital under the tutelage of G. Tom Shires, M.D., he not only had an opportunity to develop fundamental interests in biological research, particularly in the area of fluid and electrolyte metabolism, but also a broad base of clinical experience. During these formative years, it was obvious that there were numerous biochemical questions related to the patient that had sustained injury that had not been addressed. His interest in the abnormalities associated with the metabolic response to injury led him to seek and receive a NIH Special Fellowship at the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Columbia University in the City of New York. After four rewarding years in this capacity, another opportunity arose when his mentor, Dr. Robert Shaw, asked him to join the Indiana University, Loma Linda Medical Consortium, to assist in the development of a new medical school, Nangarhar University, Jalalabad, Afghanistan. Whether this decision was based on Duke's missionary nature or sheer fortitude was not a question. He moved his family to Afghanistan in 1970. The clinical experience was rather unique in that it varied from gunshot wounds to camel bites and complications of parasitic diseases to major orthopedic injuries.

Red happily accepted the opportunity to join the faculty of the newly formed University of Texas Medical School at Houston in order to be able to work with his old friend Stanley Dudrick, M.D. in the areas of surgical metabolism and nutrition. However, shortly after his return and because of his rather exhaustive experience and interest in the management of injury, he was called upon to establish the trauma service at Hermann Hospital. As with all other program development efforts, the initial steps were slow and deliberate, but when Mr. John Dunn, a trustee of the Hermann Estate, built a heliport over the entrance to the Emergency Room, the die was cast. The Life Flight Helicopter System was established in August 1976. He realized that an air ambulance service would significantly impact the welfare of patients in the area. Hence, Life Flight was born in 1978.

During his tenure as Chief of Trauma, Red Duke has established the first air ambulance service in Texas, made Hermann Hospital the first Level I Trauma Center in Southeast Texas, trained numerous residents and students, not to mention healed countless injured patients.

Dr. Duke is a founding member of the American Trauma Society and is an advanced trauma life support instructor for the American College of Surgeons. He was named "Surgeon of the Year" by the James F. Mitchell Foundation in 1988. Dr. "Red" Duke's extraordinary efforts to educate the public in health issues and his tireless work as a crusader against traumatic injury brought him into serious consideration for the position of Surgeon General of the United States in 1989.

Dr. "Red" Duke is one of the most recognized television personalities in his field as former host of the nationally syndicated Texas Health Reports (no longer produced / aired) and former host of the 1986-89 PBS series Bodywatch. Dr. Duke has been featured on several national news reports, health specials and a television series.

Whether you call him friend, doctor, mentor, or leader, we are all blessed by his omnipresence, omniscience, and affability. It is to this man that we dedicate this day."