Residency Program Director |
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SPENCER B. GAY, M.D.
M.D. Degree: University of Virginia, 1983
Phone: (434) 924-9372 |
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Spencer B. Gay, M.D. grew up riding in the backseat of a car, playing with a medical bag while he accompanied his parents, both family physicians, on their house calls. He remembers that telephone calls from patients were a part of family meals - but points out that his family did sit down to eat meals together, something that is more of a challenge for today's physician. Now Dr. Gay has three children of his own: one son and two daughters, and is balancing his medical career and a family of his own. Dr. Gay's calm demeanor belies the fact that he is a driven man who gives 100% to every undertaking. Along with being an accomplished radiologist and director of the Department's residency program, Dr. Gay is a talented musician, artist, and horseman. He has also distinguished himself in computer software development, and with the help of residents and students, has created several interactive introductory web sites for radiology that will help teach basic radiology to first year residents and fourth year medical students. Born in Washington, D.C., he attended Washington and Lee University as a studio art major. He then went to the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and finished working his way down the coast when he received a BS in chemistry from the University of Miami. He spent the next few years raising and training horses at Full Circle Farm. Upon seeing and being impressed by the trophy awarded to the owners of a national champion horse, Spencer became determined to win one for himself and devoted his time and energy to attaining his goal. Dr. Gay compared these years of his life to the Willie Nelson song "On The Road Again," saying "I was crossing the country, staying on the move, going to shows, buying and selling horses." And in the course of his travels, his Appalossa stallion, Postmark, did, indeed, win a national championship, and Dr. Gay got his trophy. When asked why he decided to enter the medical profession, Dr. Gay said that being a physician was only one of the careers he was considering in the late seventies. He may have even become a lawyer, but medicine won out because "in medicine you always know what side you are on." In 1979, Dr. Gay came to UVA Medical School. After receiving an M.D., he remained in Charlottesville for a radiology residency and a fellowship in thoraco-abdominal radiology. He became an assistant professor in the UVA Department of Radiology in 1988, was promoted to the rank of associate professor in 1994, and in 1999 was promoted to full-professor. The legal profession's loss has truly been the Department of Radiology's gain! Dr. Gay isn't the only achiever in his family - his wife is a marathon runner and his son, a math teacher and coach at Woodberry Forest School. His daughters will no doubt follow in the family tradition of talent and high achievement. Dr. Gay is serious about his leisure activities, as well. He currently plays harmonica and guitar and has a well-equipped woodworking shop. He enjoys playing music with his daughters and has taught one of his daughters to play the guitar. He also pursues his abiding interest in art through carving Native American masks, a pursuit that involves skill, patience, attention to detail and the right tools - which also describes what makes Dr. Gay a superb clinician, teacher, and administrator. |
