Bergein F. Overholt

Bergein F. Overholt, MD, (Author photo 1, Author photo 2, Author photo 3, Author photo 4, Author photo 5, Author photo 6, Author photo 7, Author photo 8, Author photo 9; Video 1 available online at www.VideoGIE.org) was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and moved to Knoxville, Tennessee, at age 2. Lyn Overholt (née Shafer) was born in Knoxville and both were raised there. They grew up a few blocks from each other, and met for the first time at the tender age of 3. They became high school sweethearts and, 18 years after their first encounter, they married in 1958.

Author photo 1.

Bergein F. Overholt.

Author photo 2.

Dr Overholt at 12 years old with his brother, Bob.

Author photo 3.

Dr Overholt and his wife, Lyn, at their wedding in 1958.

Author photo 4.

Dr Overholt in 1966 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife, Lyn, and their children, Scott and Suzanne.

Author photo 5.

University of Michigan GI Department in 1963 (Chief, Dr Marvin Pollard). Dr Overholt was a second-year resident in internal medicine (back row, center, 4th from left).

Author photo 6.

Silicone foam enema obtained in Ann Arbor, Michigan, used by engineers to understand the anatomy as they designed the workings of the flexible scope (1961).

Author photo 7.

Dr Overholt in 1963, holding the first clinically used flexible fiberoptic fibersigmoidoscope.

Author photo 8.

Cecal intubation with overtube (circa 1965).

Author photo 9.

Dr Tuan Vo Dinh, Dr Overholt, and Dr Masoud Panjehpour viewing an “optical biopsy” probe (circa 1990).

Dr Overholt received his medical degree from the University of Tennessee. He completed his internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship at the University of Michigan (with Marvin Pollard, MD) before pursuing 2 additional years of GI training at New York Hospital, Cornell Medical Center, New York, New York (with Marvin Sleisenger, MD).

In 1961, Dr Overholt began his pioneering work on flexible lower endoscopy at the University of Michigan, resulting in his performance of the first flexible sigmoidoscopy in 1963. For this groundbreaking work, he received ASGE’s highest recognition in 1975, the Schindler Award, making him the youngest recipient of this award to date. He received the American Medical Association's highest honor, the William Beaumont Award, in 1986.

After completing his training, Dr Overholt returned to his hometown of Knoxville and founded Gastrointestinal Associates of Knoxville in 1971, leading this group for 4 decades to its current status as one of the premier GI groups in the country. In 1986, his efforts resulted in the establishment of the nation’s first GI single-specialty, state-licensed, Medicare-certified Ambulatory Surgery Center (ASC), thereby creating a new paradigm for the provision of cost-efficient ambulatory GI care and cancer-screening services. Dr Overholt and his colleagues subsequently taught many of today's GI practice leaders how to develop and manage their own GI-ASCs.

While providing GI care in a community setting, Dr Overholt continued to pursue cutting-edge clinical research. As medical director of the Laser Center of the Thompson Cancer Survival Center from 1986 until 2011, he directed a broad clinical and basic research program that began with the development of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and laser-induced fluorescence of benign and malignant esophageal tissue. His work with endoscopic PDT provided the foundation for today's endoscopic therapies of Barrett's esophagus and early esophageal cancer.

Dr Overholt has served in many regional and national leadership roles. He was president of the Tennessee Society of Internal Medicine from 1982 to 1984. He served on the board of the American Society of Internal Medicine from 1984 to 1987 and from 1988 to 1990. He served on ASGE's governing board from 1972 to 1977 and again from 1979 to 1986, including as ASGE president from 1983 to 1984. He was president of the American Association of Ambulatory Surgery Centers from 1995 to 1998. Dr Overholt is a Fellow of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and a Master of the American College of Gastroenterology.

Gene and Lyn have been extremely active in their community, particularly in the field of education, serving on the Knoxville city school board, in the local Chamber of Commerce, and in many other local and regional organizations. They are the recipients of numerous civic awards. Lyn established the Rule High School Preschool Parenting Learning Center, which has received state and national recognition of excellence.

In 2017, Lyn and Gene celebrated their 80th birthdays in the midst of their loved ones: their son, Scott, and his wife, Teresa; their daughter, Suzanne, and her husband, Grant; and their 6 grandchildren. They celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary later that same year. In their spare time, Gene and Lyn enjoy traveling and tending to their garden, their bees, and their chickens at their home in Knoxville, “snowbirding” to Florida in the winter, and spending time with friends and family.

Disclosure

The author disclosed no financial relationships relevant to this publication.