Levi Watkins

Levi Watkins and Ben Carson

Levi Watkins (1944 – 2015) was an influential African American cardiac surgeon, educator, and civil rights activist. He is renowned for his pioneering contributions to the field of cardiology, particularly for being the first surgeon to implant an automatic defibrillator in a human patient in 1980. This groundbreaking procedure has since saved countless lives worldwide. Watkins was also a key figure in promoting diversity in medicine and fought tirelessly to eliminate racial barriers in education and healthcare.

Early Life and Education

Levi Watkins was born in Parsons, Kansas, but grew up in Montgomery, Alabama, during the height of the American Civil Rights Movement. Inspired by the movement and the injustices he witnessed, Watkins became determined to pursue a career where he could make a significant impact. He excelled academically and went on to attend Tennessee State University, a historically black university, where he earned his undergraduate degree. Watkins then made history by becoming the first African American student to be admitted to and graduate from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

Medical Career

After completing his medical degree, Watkins continued his training at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, where he also completed his residency in cardiac surgery. It was at Johns Hopkins that Watkins would make his most notable contribution to medicine. In 1980, he performed the first human implantation of the automatic defibrillator, a device that detects life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias and delivers a shock to restore normal heart rhythm. This innovation has become a standard treatment for preventing sudden cardiac death.

Beyond his surgical innovations, Watkins was deeply committed to medical education and mentorship. He served on the faculty at Johns Hopkins for over four decades, where he was a beloved teacher and mentor to countless students and young surgeons. Watkins was particularly passionate about increasing the representation of minorities in medicine and worked to create opportunities for underrepresented students.

Civil Rights Activism

Watkins's commitment to social justice was evident throughout his career. He was actively involved in civil rights activism from a young age, participating in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and later in voter registration drives and other civil rights initiatives. At Johns Hopkins, he continued his advocacy by challenging the institution to increase its recruitment and support of minority students and faculty. Watkins's efforts led to significant increases in diversity at the medical school and throughout the university.

Legacy

Levi Watkins passed away in 2015, but his legacy lives on through the lives he saved with his medical innovations, the students he inspired and mentored, and the progress he spurred in making the medical profession more inclusive. He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to medicine and civil rights, including honorary degrees and the naming of a lecture series and a professorship in his honor at Johns Hopkins.

Watkins's life and work exemplify the profound impact that one individual can have on both their profession and society at large. He remains a role model for aspiring physicians, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds, and his story continues to inspire efforts to achieve equality and justice in healthcare and beyond.