F. Bayard Carter Society

Visit the website to learn about information and upcoming meetings!

History of the F. Bayard Carter Society

In September 1951, fifteen former residents in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Duke School of Medicine met in Durham, North Carolina and organized the F. Bayard Carter Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Formerly known as the “Nick Carter Travel Club,” the Society is comprised of house officers, fellows and faculty of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke. Dr. F. Bayard Carter was the first Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University (1931-1964). In 1969, an endowment was funded to the level of professorship in honor of Dr. F. Bayard Carter. The constitution denotes, “The purpose of the Society shall be the promotion of scientific knowledge by assembly and interchange of ideas and practice related particularly to obstetrics and gynecology.” Every fourth year the Society returns to Duke to renew old ties and to observe progress.

Growth of the Department

Within a few years of formation, the members of the Society recognized their obligation to promote the growth of the department. Some of these include:

• The establishment of a residency loan fund to permit worthwhile trainees to continue their education in the face of financial hardships.
• Support of laboratories in the department.
• Establishment of seven professorships in the Duke Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, named for senior faculty members (three of whom were chairs) – the Dr. F. Bayard Carter, Dr. Roy T. Parker, Dr. Walter L. Thomas, Dr. E.C. Hamblen, Dr. James Ingram, Dr. Haywood Brown and Dr. W. Allen Addison Professorships. Funded from personal resources and gifts from patients, these professorships now total over $15 million in endowment for the Department. The Carter Society is now involved in helping to fund the Departmental Research Fund (Charles B. Hammond Research Endowment Fund).
• The Hammond Research Endowment Fund was established in 1998 to honor Dr. Hammond and provides support for basic and clinical research in the Department. Duke Ob/Gyn's Annual Charles B. Hammond, MD, Research Day is named in his honor, and Charles B. Hammond, MD, Research Awards are presented to three residents and one fellow based upon their research manuscripts and presentations.
• The Carter Society has provided portraits of the past four chairs of the department, Dr. Carter, Dr. Parker, Dr. Hammond and Dr. Brown, which hang in the chairman’s office area today.

Celebrating Dr. Carter, Today - The Carter Society Meeting

The gathering is designed to promote the legacy of Dr. Carter and the proud heritage of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, which is steeped in a history of excellence.

In addition, each year the president of the Carter Society participates in our annual Research Day as a judge, and many members have come back to teach or to host various functions for the residents so they may get a “glimpse” of what the Carter Society could mean to them.

It is important that we remember our heritage and those who worked so hard to help perpetuate the high quality and activities of Duke Obstetrics and Gynecology. We are one of the very few departments in the United States that have such a significant group of individuals who are invested in and committed to continued growth and success through our alumni organization.

A Look Back...

For a reflective look at 50 years of exceptional Duke women’s healthcare featuring Dr. Carter, interviewed on DUMC-TV in 1967, please watch this video: