Interview with Davitt Felder

Abstract

Davitt Felder discusses his background and provides an overview of his career. He describes why he went into medicine and surgery; his decision to enter private practice; and his decision to retire. He discusses at length the establishment of the Northern Association for Medical Education and the organization’s attempt to establish a medical school in St. Paul. He describes his work in vascular surgery and the establishment of the Midwestern Board for Medical and Allied Education. He discusses the relationship between Minneapolis and St. Paul private physicians and the University of Minnesota; the private practice issue at the University of Minnesota; and Robert Howard, Owen Wangensteen, Walter Lillehei, Michael E DeBakey; the relationship between the Surgery Department and other clinical departments; and his work with the Health Care Financing Administration.