‘My Fellow Humans’: The Extraordinary Life of Augustus A. White III, MD, PhD, FAAOS

In the realm of medicine, few figures loom as large as Augustus A. White III, MD, PhD, FAAOS, a trailblazing orthopaedic surgeon; humanitarian; and champion of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Dr. White was born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1936, and his life is a story of resilience, determination, and service to his fellow humans. Through decades of groundbreaking achievements, he transformed orthopaedic surgery, advanced the study of spine biomechanics, and fought tirelessly for social justice and health equity.

Early life: foundations of resilience
Growing up in the segregated South under the shadow of Jim Crow laws, Dr. White was profoundly shaped by his environment. Losing his father, a physician, when he was 8 years old left an indelible mark, as did the relentless encouragement of his mother, a librarian who stressed the importance of education. Surrounded by dedicated Black educators and a tight-knit community, young Augustus was imbued with a sense of purpose.

Dr. White attended the Mount Hermon School for Boys, a rare haven for African American students in the 1940s, where he excelled academically and athletically. Later, at Brown University, he broke barriers as the first African American member of the Delta Upsilon fraternity and graduated cum laude in psychology in 1957. His journey into medicine was inspired by an innate compassion for others and a desire to help those in need—a mission that would define his career.

He played lacrosse at Mount Hermon, where he had the opportunity to play defense against and hold scoreless future National Football League (NFL) great Jim Brown, also a legendary lacrosse player. At Brown, Dr. White played football all 4 years. A coach told him that on the field, one must “stand up and be counted,” a lesson he would bring to other aspects of his career. He was such a talented football player that he was invited to try out for an NFL team but declined so as to pursue his medical career.

Dr. White was later inducted into the Brown University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Dr. White’s medical journey began at Stanford University, where he became the first African American medical student. Excelling under the mentorship of pioneering professors, he graduated in 1961. He went on to pursue surgical training at Yale, where he was the first African American orthopaedic resident. A formative period of his career included earning a PhD in biomechanics at Sweden’s Karolinska Institute, where he advanced understanding of spinal anatomy and stability. His seminal textbook, Clinical Biomechanics of the Spine, coauthored by Manohar Panjabi, PhD, is still a cornerstone of orthopaedic education.

His sense of duty led him to serve as a combat surgeon during the Vietnam War, stationed at the 85th Evacuation Hospital in Qui Nhon. Amid the chaos of war, he treated countless soldiers and volunteered at the St. Francis Leprosarium, deepening his empathy and commitment to humanitarian care. For his valor and dedication, he was awarded the Bronze Star. He carries this honor with pride, viewing it as a “license to constructively criticize his country when it falters.”

A leader in academia and advocacy
Returning stateside, Dr. White joined the faculty at Yale and later became the first African American department chief at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard teaching hospital. Over his 13-year tenure, he set up an orthopaedic biomechanics laboratory, trained 25 fellows in the Daniel E. Hogan Spine Fellowship Program, and championed diversity in medical education.

As a founding president of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society, Dr. White worked tirelessly to increase representation in orthopaedics. His leadership earned him the AAOS Diversity Award in 2006 and the William W. Tipton Jr, MD, Leadership Award in 2010.

Dr. White’s influence extended beyond orthopaedics. His book Seeing Patients: Unconscious Bias in Health Care challenged healthcare providers to confront and end biases that harm patients from marginalized communities. As the founder of Harvard Medical School’s Culturally Competent Care Education Program, he inspired generations of physicians to embrace empathy and inclusivity.

His advocacy also addressed systemic disparities in medical education. Through initiatives such as the Augustus A. White III and Family Faculty Professionalism Award at Stanford, he encouraged underrepresented students and faculty to pursue excellence and equity.

Over his storied career, his lifetime achievements have been recognized through many accolades, including eight honorary degrees, the inaugural Martin Luther King Jr Lifetime Achievement Award from Harvard Medical School, and the aforementioned induction into Brown University’s Athletic Hall of Fame. His contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion were celebrated at the annual Augustus White Symposium, which addresses disparities in medicine.

Philosophy of common humanity
At the heart of Dr. White’s philosophy is the belief in “common humanity.” He often begins speeches with the phrase, “Greetings, my fellow humans,” emphasizing the shared struggles and aspirations that unite all people. Reflecting on his experiences treating severely wounded soldiers in Vietnam, he has said, “For some, you are the last human being they will ever see. You must look them in the eye and connect as fellow humans.”

Bringing this ideal of common humanity into the clinical setting with patients can result in what Dr. White calls a “win, win, win.” Not only do patients benefit, but so do orthopaedic surgeons, as it can make the practice more enjoyable. Society benefits as well, as physicians practicing in a humanitarian, egalitarian manner can provide “a model for the spirit of community and mutual care that we so urgently need, and so lack, in our increasingly splintered and sectarian world.”

A life of inspiration
Now in his 80s, Dr. White continues to inspire through his mentorship, advocacy, and writing. He lives in Weston, Massachusetts, with his wife, Anita, and is still active in promoting health equity through the Augustus A. White III Institute for Healthcare Equity.

Through his remarkable journey—from the segregated streets of Memphis to the forefront of medicine—Dr. White has not only reshaped orthopaedic surgery but also embodied the ideals of compassion, perseverance, and justice. His life is a testament to what can be achieved when one refuses to accept the limitations imposed by society and instead strives to lift fellow humans along the way.

Wayne A. Johnson, MD, FAAOS, is chief of orthopaedic surgery at the VA Medical Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and chair of the Political Action Committee of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Richard A. Schaefer, MD, MPH, FAAOS, is an orthopaedic surgeon at Johns Hopkins and a member of the AAOS Now Editorial Board.

Reference

1. White AA III, Chanoff D. Seeing Patients: A Surgeon’s Story of Race and Medical Bias (1st ed.). Harvard University Press; 2019.