Dr. Donald Trunkey was an internationally renowned trauma surgeon who was considered the father of modern trauma systems. He died recently at the age of 81.
Dr. Trunkey received his medical degree from the UW School of Medicine in 1963. Dr. Carlos Pellegrini, former chief medical officer at UW Medicine and former chair of the Department of Surgery, remembers him as “a patriot, a great surgeon, teacher and friend of the University of Washington.”
With his wife, Jane, he created the The Jane and Donald D. Trunkey Endowed Chair in Trauma Surgery at the UW School of Medicine. Dr. Ronald Maier is the current holder of the chair, which is designed to attract and retain a distinguished faculty member in the field of trauma surgery.