Noted thoracic surgeon joins UMMC

Dr. Curt Tribble, a longtime thoracic surgeon who implanted the first left ventricular assist device, has joined University of Mississippi Medical Center as professor of surgery. He will see patients through University of Mississippi Health Care.

He directed the LVAD/transplant team at the University of Virginia before helping develop and lead the Lifeflow LVAD Project at the University of Florida.

Tribble received the B.S. in biology in 1975 and the B.A. in English in 1976 from Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C., where he was valedictorian of his classes. He earned the M.D. at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn., in 1980. His postgraduate training included stints as an intern in surgery from 1980-81, a resident in surgery from 1981-85 and a resident in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery from 1985-87 at the University of Virginia.

He joined the UVA School of Medicine faculty in 1987 as an instructor in surgery and quickly rose through the ranks to professor of surgery there in 1994. In 2000, he was named Claude Jessup Chair in Surgery. Throughout his career at UVA, he served as co-director for thoracic transplant service and became director of the Ventricular Support Program in 1994. He became associate program director of thoracic surgical residency in 1997 and began serving as vice-chair of the Department of Surgery in 2002.

Tribble left UVA in 2006 to become chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Florida, where he also served as program director of the thoracic residency and vice chair of the Department of Surgery.

A fellow of the American College of Surgeons, Tribble is a member of several professional organizations. He is now serving a six-year term as a director of the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.