Hervy E. Averette, M.D.

Hervy E. Averette, M.D., one of the founding fathers of the specialty of gynecologic oncology in the United States died on July 1, 2005, from complications of lymphoma. At the time of his death, Dr. Averette was the Sylvester Professor in the Divisions of Gynecologic Oncology and Medical Oncology of the University of Miami School of Medicine as well as an American Cancer Society professor. Dr. Averette received his Bachelor of Science from Davidson College in 1954 and his Doctor of Medicine from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in 1958. After an internship at the Medical University of South Carolina, he completed a residency in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Miami in 1963. During his residency, he was an American Cancer Society Fellow for one year. He performed a fellowship in gynecologic oncology as a Senior Trainee, Cancer Control, in the U.S. Public Health Service under the supervision of J.H. Ferguson, M.D., at the University of Miami and Jackson Memorial Hospital for two years following his residency Dr. Averette remained at the University of Miami for his entire career, rising quickly through the academic ranks to the position of professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 1973. He served as the director of the Division of Gynecologic Oncology at the University of Miami from 1966 until 1997. He started one of the first fellowships in gynecologic oncology and trained 54 fellows. Dr. Averette was a committed academician, succeeding in research, education, and patient care. All of us who had the opportunity to train with, or work with him, will remember his commitment to these three facets of gynecologic oncology. He was adored by his patients and respected by his trainees and colleagues. As a master educator, Dr. Averette served as the chairman of the House Staff Committee that provided oversight for all of the educational programs at Jackson Memorial Hospital for 24 years. He brought the university into the Gynecologic Oncology Group in 1972 and remained affiliated with the group until 1997. Dr. Averette had a career-long involvement with the American Cancer Society, holding 17 posts including chairman of the National Task Force on Gynecologic Cancer and medical director-at-large. He was a founding member of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists and the first vice president in 1969. In 1972 he served as the Society’s fourth president. He was a member of 30 national and international societies and received numerous awards and guest lectureships, including the Janeway Lectureship of the American Radium Society and invited lectureships to the Argentine and German Societies of Gynecology. Dr. Averette has 287 publications and numerous abstracts. Very early in his career, he became recognized as an innovator of the surgical therapy of gynecologic cancer and published extensively in that field. His sentinel publications on radical hysterectomy and pelvic exenteration for carcinoma of the cervix remain landmark papers. He also defined microinvasive carcinoma of the cervix. Dr. Averette was an NCI-funded investigator and developed the concept of programmed chemotherapy based on the cellular kinetics of squamous carcinoma. Hervy Averette was a master surgeon, was an outstanding surgical craftsman and a demanding teacher of the craft of surgery. All of his fellows over the years still remember “That will just not do” and “I don’t understand how that could happen,” which invariably followed a clumsy move or a violation of surgical technique. He was one of the earliest proponents of evidence-based medicine and constantly challenged his trainees to investigate their practice based on the medical literature. Hervy Averette was dedicated to his wife of 48 years, Barkley, and to his two daughters, Ellen Reese and Virginia Fox. He was a loyal friend to his colleagues and an enduring mentor and role model for all of us lucky enough to train under him. He had a great sense of humor worked hard, and played hard. He is one of the founding fathers of our specialty and one of the most respected figures in American medicine. Dr. Hervy Averette was an outstanding physician and surgeon and a superb teacher and scientist. He was a visionary who helped establish the specialty of gynecologic oncology. He taught us humility, compassion, and the importance of balance between our personal and professional lives. He pushed us to improve as surgeons, teachers, researchers, and human beings. He was a great man, a wonderful friend, mentor, and role model. Dr. Averette will be sorely missed by so many, for so many reasons.