Dr. L. D. Britt, MD, MPH, FACS, FCCM is the Brickhouse Professor of Surgery at the Eastern Virginia Medical School

Eastern Virginia Medical School

Eastern Virginia Medical School commonly referred to as EVMS, in Norfolk, Virginia is a public-private medical school founded by the citizens of Hampton Roads, Virginia...

, President of the American College of Surgeons

American College of Surgeons

The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...

, and former President of the Southern Surgical Association. Britt was the first African American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 in the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 to receive an endowed chair in surgery at a major American medical school.

Britt was born in Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk, Virginia

Suffolk is the largest city by area in Virginia, United States, and is located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 84,585. Its median household income was $57,546.-History:...

 and graduated from Booker T. Washington High School

Booker T. Washington High School (Norfolk, Virginia)

Booker T. Washington High School is a public high school located in Norfolk, Virginia. It is administered by Norfolk City Public Schools. The school colors are maroon, gold, and white, and the nickname is the Mighty Bookers....

 as his class's valedictorian

Valedictorian

Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...

. He attended the University of Virginia

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...

, where he received his BA and became a member of the Raven Society

Raven Society

The Raven Society is the University of Virginia's oldest honorary society. Founded in 1904 by University student William McCully James, and named in honor of the famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe .According to its constitution, one of the Raven Society's main goals is "to bring together the best men...

. He then went on the receive degrees from Harvard Medical School

Harvard Medical School

Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....

 and the Harvard School of Public Health

Harvard School of Public Health

The Harvard School of Public Health is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University, located in the Longwood Area of the Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood of Mission Hill, which is next to Harvard Medical School. HSPH is considered a significant school focusing on health in the...

.

Dr. Britt is President of the American College of Surgeons and will serve the October 2010-October 2011 term.