3 ▁and ▁then ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁att ain ▁his ▁medical ▁degree ▁at ▁the ▁Medical ▁College ▁of ▁Virginia ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 7 . ▁ ▁After ▁comple ting ▁his ▁intern ship ▁and ▁res iden cy ▁in ▁surg ery ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Hospital , ▁Port sm outh , ▁Virginia , ▁he ▁was ▁named ▁Chief ▁of ▁S urg ery ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Hospital , ▁Gu ant an amo ▁Bay , ▁Cuba ▁( where ▁he ▁was ▁the ▁only ▁sur geon ). ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 3 , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁contin ental ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁Chief ▁of ▁S urg ery ▁at ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Naval ▁Hospital , ▁Char l eston , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁Three ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁fac ulty ▁in ▁the ▁department ▁of ▁S urg ery ▁at ▁the ▁Medical ▁University ▁of ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁App oint ments ▁▁ ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁War ing ▁Library ▁Society ▁ ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Carolina ▁S urg ical ▁Society ▁ ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁South ▁Carolina ▁Chapter ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁College ▁of ▁Sur ge ons ▁ ▁Council or ▁of ▁the ▁S out he astern ▁S urg ical ▁Society ▁ ▁Governor ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁College ▁of ▁Sur ge ons ▁ ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁Hal sted ▁Society ▁ ▁Second ▁Vice - Pres ident ▁of ▁the ▁Southern ▁S urg ical ▁Association ▁ ▁M embers hips ▁▁ ▁American ▁College ▁of ▁Sur ge ons ▁ ▁American ▁Society