Gene L. Colborn (1935–2011)

Abstract

The impact of a person's academic life can often be measured by notable contributions to its professional field. Dr. Gene L. Colborn was a great teacher, and respected scholar, who left a remarkable legacy with his expertise, dedication, time, and skill in teaching and research. Known affectionately to many as “Gene,” he was our teacher, esteemed scholar, mentor, and, most importantly, a very good friend. Gene Colborn (Fig. 1) was born in Springfield, Illinois, one of four sons of Adin Levi Colborn and Grace Tucker Colborn. Gene received a BA degree with Honors in Religious Education from Kentucky Christian University, followed by graduate studies in Religion and Education at the University of Pittsburgh. He was ordained into the Christian Ministry in Steubenville, Ohio in 1957, and was a minister to churches in Georgia, South Carolina, Kentucky, and Pennsylvania. He received a BS degree with Honors in Biology and Chemistry and outstanding student in Sciences from Milligan College in 1962, and continued with graduate work in Medical Sciences at Wake Forest University on a National Sciences Foundation sponsored Cardiovascular Training Grant, receiving MS and PhD degrees in Anatomy and Physiology from the Bowman Gray School of Medicine at Wake Forest University in 1967. He completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and then accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Anatomy at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas (UTHSA). He also taught Surgical Anatomy at Fort Sam Houston. He was promoted to Associate Professor at UTHSA in 1972. Gene L. Colborn. Dr. Colborn went to the Georgia Health Sciences University, formerly Medical College of Georgia (MCG) in Augusta as an Associate Professor in 1975 to direct the program in medical gross anatomy. He was promoted to Full Professor of Anatomy and Surgery, and Founder and Director of the Center for Clinical Anatomy in 1988. At the same time, he was appointed as Clinical Professor of Surgery at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He taught many programs in clinical anatomy to residents in surgery, OB/GYN, ophthalmology, orthopedics, emergency medicine, and general surgery at MCG and special programs in urology and gynecology at Rush University Medical School in Chicago. Upon retirement from the Georgia Health Sciences University, he became Chairman of the Division of Anatomical Sciences at Ross University School of Medicine in Dominica and then Professor and Chairman of Anatomy and Embryology at the American University of the Caribbean in Sint Maarten. Gene was one of the best anatomy teachers. He was recognized for his teaching of young physicians with the Golden Apple Award from the four classes of medical students at the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio in 1975 and was thereafter the recipient of the Outstanding Medical Educator Award at the Georgia Health Sciences University, formerly Medical College of Georgia, from medical classes in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, and 2000, and Excellence in Teaching Awards an additional five times. He received the Distinguished Faculty Award in Teaching from the MCG Faculty Senate in 1977 and 2000. In 1997, he was nominated by MCG for the Regents' Award in Teaching from the University of Georgia. While teaching in medical schools in the Caribbean, he received the Outstanding Professor Award at Ross University School of Medicine in 2001 and a similar award from the American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine in 2004. The first time I (M.L.) met Gene was in 2003, when he hired me at the American University of the Caribbean to teach in the Department of Anatomy. I will never forget the first day at work; he showed me around the university facilities and then took me into the anatomy lab. He showed me two undissected embalmed cadavers and told me, “Marios, these two cadavers will become your new best friends. You will dissect them every single day, including weekends, and we will present your dissections during class time.” This exercise took place for almost three years. For Gene anatomy was learned through dissections. It was his personal observations, after thousands of hours of dissection, which made Gene a superior anatomist. He often criticized contemporary anatomy books that regurgitated erroneous information from previous books or editions from authors that had seldom dissected a cadaver! Gene believed strongly in mutual respect between colleagues but more importantly, he was a true mentor. Gene always asked me questions during my lectures. He would mentor young faculty during the teaching process and afterwards, behind closed doors. The way that Gene posed questions was magical; students and faculty felt great appreciation when he would “quiz” them. He always used to say, “Marios I have fatherly advice to you.” Before long, I began calling him “Dad.” Gene was one of the most important influences on me taking a path to become an anatomist—he was my academic father. Dr. Colborn was the author of more than 150 journal articles and book chapters, the author of five books and co-author of more than a dozen texts on clinical anatomy and surgery. He made numerous presentations on clinical and surgical anatomy at the American College of Surgeons, and other national and international associations. He is noted professionally most for his contributions to the field of abdominal and pelvic anatomy and associated clinical problems. Gene's numerous publications were based on the thousands of meticulous dissections he performed over many decades of tireless effort in the anatomy laboratory. Dr. Colborn was a member of many years of the American Association of Anatomists and was a Founding Member of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists. Other than anatomy, Gene loved family life, his religion, and singing. Gene and his wife Sarah often sang with the Augusta Opera Company, the Augusta Choral Society, the Aiken Choral Society, the Columbia County Choral Society, and several church choirs, most recently at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, of which he and his wife were members. He was appointed as an Elder in the Covenant Presbyterian Church in Augusta, Georgia in 2007. Dr. Gene Louis Colborn, Professor Emeritus of Clinical Anatomy and Surgery at the Georgia Health Sciences University, died on March 14, 2012 at age 76. He leaves behind his beloved spouse Sarah Ellen Crockett Colborn, his wife and companion of 34 years, his 5 children and their spouses, 11 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. Cancer may have finally claimed the life of this loved man after a painful, debilitating, and long-last battle, but his training of thousands of students, together with his writings, explanations, illustrations, in anatomy, surgery, and embryology will benefit the medical field for generations to come. The body failed, but the heart never did. The song continues.