Life story and achievements of a trauma surgeon, remembered by family, friends, and colleagues.
Donald Dean Trunkey, M.D., 81 Donald Dean Trunkey passed away peacefully with his loved ones by his side on May 1, 2019, in Post Falls, Idaho. He was born on June 23, 1937, in Oakesdale, Wash., to John Douglas and Rebecca Nelson Trunkey. The family moved to St
It is with sadness that we report the passing of one of Trauma Surgery’s greatest icons, Dr. Donald D. Trunkey. Dr. Trunkey served as the Chair of the ACS Committee on Trauma from 1982-1986 and as President of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma
The Department of Surgery is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our friend and colleague, Dr. Donald D. Trunkey who died on Wednesday at the age of 81. Dr. Trunkey was an internationally renowned trauma surgeon and is considered the father of modern tr
Nothing lasts forever. However, for most of us, Don Trunkey was the innovator of modern trauma care and it’s hard to imagine a world which he is not part of. As Ralph Waldo Emerson stated it is not length of life, but depth of life that matters. Indeed, his ta
To me and to many trauma surgeons around the world, the word “Trunkey” is synonymous with the word “Trauma”. Most of us completing our residencies in surgery in the 1980s never considered trauma surgery as a career……it was just something you did when you were
My first encounter with Don Trunkey was as an impressionable 4th year medical student, doing an externship on the trauma service in the fall of 1977. I had spent some time at SFGH previously doing computer programming for Frank Lewis and was beginning to unde
I worked in Med Control/Medical Resource Hospital for OHSU Trauma. Your Father was my favorite Trauma Doc at the “U”. Not only was I part of OHSU Trauma, my so was a four time kidney transplant patient and three time cancer survivor. Including CNS lymphoma.
It has taken time to write about Don. When he started to decline mentally, it seemed incomprehensible that this great man would come to a disease that would strip away his mind. For it was his intellect that defined Don’s professional life and delivered the in
As the pearly gates swung open on May 1, 2019 and Donald Trunkey strode through, head held high, wry smile on his face – I am certain that St. Peter stood, offered a crisp salute and yielded his post. That’s because everywhere Donald Trunkey went, he was, by t
I first had the pleasure of meeting Don when we introduced ATLS® to the west coast in 1981. I was a community surgeon interested in the task of improving the early care of the trauma patient. Don, at that time was already an experienced trauma surgeon on his
It’s been more than 30 years since Dr. Trunkey saved my younger brother’s life. James was barely 21 when a young man he’d never met before shot him in the neck over a foolish matter. Our local doctor in that small Oklahoma town packed him in an ambulance and
Don Trunkey was a trailblazing pioneer for patient care, trauma management and educating multiple levels of trainees in surgical management. I first had the pleasure of meeting Don in the mid 1970s when I was directing EMS for Boston and Boston City Hospital.
Don Trunkey1937 Born Oakesdale, Washington1946 First Operation, Castration of pig1955 Saint John HS1958 Married Jane Henry1959 Washing State College BS in Zoology, Also played basketball1963 University of Washington MD1964 Oregon Health Sciences University int
As the Commander of the 50th General hospital during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1991), I got to know Col. Don Trunkey pretty well. He was our Chief of Professional Services and was always busy keeping the medical/surgical side of things on a straig
I first met Dr. Trunkey when he was on a T.V. show on Lifeline in 1978. I was a resident, I was thinking of going into trauma and seeing him being followed around the hospital at San Francisco General and actualize the job, talk about coordination of care to t
Don has been my close friend and mentor for 50 years. I first met Don as a nurse in the Mission Emergency Room, San Francisco General Hospital, while pursing my premedical studies. His commitment to patient care and advocacy for the underserved populations in
I first met Dr. Trunkey as an intern at Madigan Army Medical Center in 1988. Dr. Trunkey was doing his active duty training there and he was a Colonel in the US Army Reserve. He spent a significant part of a day teaching in educational conferences and meetin
In 1977, I visited several trauma centres in the USA, with particular reference to management of blunt liver injuries and spent three weeks at the San Francisco General Hospital with Don Trunkey. It was there that I witnessed a true resurrection. On Sunday a
Thank you for forwarding to me the information that you have collected about your dad. Back many years ago in the early 1970s, I had invited Don to be one of the lecturers at our annual trauma symposium, which is the oldest trauma symposium in America. At th
I first met Don Trunkey when I was a resident in Surgery in Texas. He was a few years older than me, and was always very cordial and gracious. Many aspects of our career were similar. We both did broad based surgery, but had a particular interest in the orga
When I arrived to begin my trauma research fellowship at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in August of 1971, I was assigned to share laboratory space with another trauma fellow. Upon entering the lab, I noticed my new colleague concentratin
Don Trunkey, as my fellow surgical resident Brian Gilchrist liked to say, was Lincolnesque. Always a calm demeanor, always a joke or an anecdote ready, and always leading others where they were afraid to go. Like Lincoln he was tall, lanky, and folksy and wa
Many physicians can look back in their life and find a pivotal point, an event that changed the direction of their lives. They may even have several such moments. It could be the day they decided to become a physician, or the day they picked their specialty. F
Doctor Don Trunkey, a giant of a man physically and world renowned in the arena of trauma surgery, became a colleague, a mentor, and a friend as we served together during Gulf War I – Desert Storm. Doctor Trunkey was the Chief of Professional Services and the
Don Trunkey is being honored by the American College of Surgeons (ACS) this month at their annual Clinical Congress as an “Icon in Surgery”, an honor which he richly deserves. Don was the leader among a small cohort of surgeons who played a major role in impro
Dr. Donald Trunkey’s skill, judgment and indefatigable determination as a trauma surgeon has saved the lives of thousands of patients. In addition, his leadership in the development of trauma systems has saved the lives of millions around the world. In the lat
Don Trunkey spent 14 years on the faculty at San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH), the last 8 as the chief of surgery. He was an outspoken, confident, and decisive leader beloved by the staff, faculty, residents, students, and patients because of his warmth,
My Dad has really always been impressive to me. Growing up, he seemed to always be a little stronger, faster, and smarter at everything than me (and most other people too). He was an incredible athlete (I think he played 3 sports in high school and basket ba
My father is Don Trunkey. He was a renowned trauma surgeon and is finally retired to Idaho. This web site will be about his life and achievements. Basic Biography from OHSU: Donald Dean Trunkey was born, raised, and educated in the state of Washington. He gr