RONALD K. TOMPKINS, M.D.
1934 - 2021
Ronald K. Tompkins, M.D., died on August 17, 2021. He was 86 years of age. A native of Malta, Ohio, Ron received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from Ohio University in 1956 and his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in 1960. From 1959-64, Ron served in the United States Air Force, rising to the rank of Captain and serving as Chief of Aerospace Medicine and of the Otolaryngology Service at the Griffiss USAF Hospital in New York and receiving the Air Force Longevity Service Award and Flight Surgeon Rating and Wings.
From 1964-68, Ron was trained in general surgery by the legendary Dr. Robert M. Zollinger at the Ohio State University Hospitals, also serving from 1966-68 as a postdoctoral fellow in physiological chemistry. During his laboratory years, Ron and his group studied tumors from patients with Watery Diarrhea, Hypokalemia, and Achlorrhydria (WDHA) syndrome. Their studies suggested a secretin-like hormone as the cause of the patient’s symptoms, but confirmation would have to wait 49 years. Not until 2017 did the Ohio State University group conclusively identify secretin as the hormone in one of the original tumors. Thus, the discovery of a primary pancreatic secretinoma as a cause of diarrheogenic syndrome, originally proposed in 1968, was confirmed. Ron regarded this as one of his most important scientific contributions.
Ron joined the UCLA faculty in 1969 and rose through the ranks to become full Professor in 1979. He was Chief of the Division of General Surgery from 1982 to 1988 and Chief of the Section of Gastrointestinal Surgery from 1988 to 1997. In the realm of education, Ron served as Director of the Basic Surgical Training Program from 1970-80, Director of the General Surgery Residency Program from 1982 to 1988, and inaugural Director of Surgical Education from 1999 through 2004, having retired to emeritus status in 2000. Ron received the Golden Scalpel Award for Teaching Excellence in 1986, and the Department of Surgery recognized his extraordinary contributions to surgical education in 2004 with naming of the annual Ronald K. Tompkins Golden Apple Award, honoring a surgical resident selected by medical students for outstanding student teaching.
Ron was an internationally famous hepatobiliary and gastrointestinal surgeon. He held membership in 44 prestigious surgical societies and many leadership positions including presidency of the International Biliary Association, Los Angeles Surgical Society, Southern California Chapter of the American College of Surgeons, Pacific Coast Surgical Association, and Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. He was awarded Honorary Membership in the French Surgical Association and the Japan Surgical Society and was particularly proud of an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bordeaux bestowed by his friend and colleague, Professor Jacques Perissat. He also served as a Director of the American Board of Surgery and as editor of The World Journal of Surgery. Ron was an NIH-funded investigator, a prolific author, and an international lecturer with countless visiting professorships to his credit.
Ron is survived by his beloved wife of 65 years, Suzanne Colbert Tompkins; three children, Gregory (Elizabeth), Teresa Read (Stuart) and Geoffrey (Amy); and six grandchildren and one great granddaughter, all of whom adored "Grandpa Ron".
Known to his trainees and colleagues as "RKT", Ron is remembered as a fine clinician and an inspired educator, mentor and leader. He taught generations of surgeons, as much by example as by formal instruction. His commitment to the academic mission and to his patients, colleagues and students was steadfast and unswerving. We have lost a great surgeon, role model, and friend.
JONATHAN R. HIATT, M.D.