Dr. John Clemmons
Interview with: Dr. John Clemmons
Interviewed by: Yimei Zhang
Date: March 24, 2005
Transcribed by: Yimei Zhang
YZ: Dr. Clemmons, first, can you tell me your full name and what kind of medicine are you practicing?
JC: My full name is John B. Clemmons, Jr. I practice internal medicine/gastroenterology.
YZ: Ok. Can you tell me something about your background? Where and when were you born? What encouraged you to pursue a career as a physician? Where did you pursue your M.D. degree?
JC: Sure. I was born in Savannah, Georgia. My encouragement to pursue medicine primarily came from my parents, primarily my father, who was interested in medicine and felt that, as a career, that would be probably the number one career for one to pursue. My medical degree is from Howard University in Washington, D. C.
YZ: When did you go there? When did you graduate?
JC: I graduated from Howard in 1976.
YZ: So then you came to Houston?
JC: No. I did my internship, my residency and gastroenterology fellowship at Emory University in Atlanta.
YZ: When did you move to Houston? Why did you choose here?
JC: I moved to Houston after finishing my fellowship and primarily because my wife is a Houstonian. She wanted to move back to Houston.
YZ: How long have you been a member of Houston Medical Forum?
JC: Since pretty much when I came to Houston in 1981.
YZ: Have you ever held any officer position in that organization?
JC: Yes. I served as the treasurer and also president.
YZ: Ok. And when?
JC: President is probably around 1989, or 1990.
YZ: Are you a member of the Harris County Medical Society?
JC: Yes.
YZ: When did you become a member?
JC: Pretty much the same time.
YZ: Ok. What kind of role do you think African-American physicians have played in the Harris County Medical Society?
JC: Well, it’s varied quite a bit. There have been multiple positions that have been held by African Americans, from certain committees as well as being president.
YZ: From my research, I know that Houston has several African-American hospitals. In fact, Riverside General Hospital still exists today. Are you familiar with these African-American hospitals?
JC: Yes.
YZ: So can you tell me something about these hospitals?
JC: Well. They’ve evolved quite a bit over the years. When I first moved to Houston, Riverside Hospital and also St. Elizabeth’s Hospital were functioning and providing primary health care for the community. And over the years, St. Elizabeth’s has essentially closed as a hospital. Riverside serves, to some extent, providing medical care, but its primary focus now is in terms of drug addiction and psychiatric management
YZ: Do you know the Omni hospital?
JC: Omni hospital? No.
YZ: Ok. Do you recall any other African-American physicians that have made contributions to the health of Houston area residents from early 20th century to now?
JC: No. I can’t really say, prior to the time of my moving to Houston, no, but in terms of the contributions to the community, I think, pretty much most, if not all, the African-American physicians have contributed to the community. I suppose it depends what you mean by that. Do you mean, did they hold any type of political position?
YZ: No. I mean do you know any famous African-American physicians here?
JC: In Houston? Sure. In terms of famous, probably, on a national basis, Dr. Edith Irby Jones, is probably the most “famous” (quote unquote) African-American physician.
YZ: Yes, our team just interviewed her a couple of weeks ago.
JC: Yes. She probably carries that, primarily because of her background, in terms of being the first African American to graduate from the University of Arkansas, and her ongoing commitment, not only in terms of health care, but commitment to giving back, serving the community.
YZ: I want to ask, to what extent, do you think your achievements have influenced the younger African-American generation around you?
JC: That’s something that is very difficult to measure. People know you by your reputation and by your example. The most important thing, I think, one can provide is giving quality health care to those you interact with. Hopefully, the children, and the siblings of individuals you provide health care to recognize the quality of your care and, therefore, draw some examples from that.
YZ: How has the medical field changed in Houston for African Americans over time?
JC: Oh, it’s been a tremendous change over time. In the beginning, the African-American physicians were relegated to not being able to utilize hospitals other than the traditionally African-American hospitals, and not having access to those in terms of providing health care to their patients. So, that has changed in terms of access to health care on a grand scale. That tends to vary quite a bit as well in terms of being on staff at different hospitals. But, in terms of serving the African-American community, I think that has been a pretty steadfast commitment and pretty much long before I moved to Houston.
YZ: Do you have any interesting stories during your medical career?
JC: Interesting stories? You mean anytime during my medical career?
YZ: Yes.
JC: Well, in terms of …, I think, most of us in medicine, particularly I think I was fortunate enough to attend Howard University Medical School. When you talk about examples in terms of people you can emulate – there were a lot of individuals in that setting who gave you a certain degree of strength, commitment, and realization of just a wealth of knowledge. So there were a number of examples of individuals who were motivating factors for me in that setting. In terms of interesting stories, I don’t know…
YZ: Impressive experiences?
JC: Impressive experiences? I think that a number of individuals, just by the nature of what they did and how they did it, were impressive. The individuals who…, when I moved to Houston, that were to me very expiring in terms of what they did and how they did it included individuals, like Dr. Joseph Gathe, Senior. His son is now in practice. He was a surgeon. I think, his style, his approach set an example. Dr. Edith Jones, certainly always has been a source of inspiration, and Dr. James Watson. Those are individuals who, kind of stand out in my mind as individuals who were here practicing when I got here, and also had gone through the true rough time in terms of health care, providing health care, limitations that were placed on them in the terms to maximize their ability to care for their patients. So those are individuals that, I think, have been truly the soldiers that helped lead the trail, particularly in Houston.
YZ: Is this the doctor you just said? (showing Dr. Gathe’s picture to Dr. Clemmons)
JC: Yes. That’s Dr. Gathe Senior.
YZ: So you said, his son …
JC: His son is a physician, too.
YZ: What’s his name?
JC: Joseph Gathe, Junior.
YZ: That’s interesting.
JC: He is an infectious disease physician.
YZ: Also in Houston?
JC: Here in Houston. He has a very large practice, primarily focuses with Acquired Immune Deficiency, with Aids. It’s very logical.
YZ: This Houston Medical Forum Museum Project will tour area high schools as a means to encourage minority students to pursue medical careers. So, do you have any advice or any suggestions to them?
JC: To pursue health care as a career? Well, I think, anything that you pursue, you should pursue it because you have a passion for it. Sometimes it’s difficult to know that you really have one before you get into any career, but you should pursue it because that’s what you feel you want to do and want to dedicate your life to that and you carry it to the highest level you can carry it to in terms of your personal performance. Probably, you need to be focused on a commitment to serving and hopefully to experience an education to develop enough wisdom to serve well.
YZ: Do you have any memorabilia that represents your contributions, like photos, old document, or newspapers that we can use in the exhibition?
JC: No, I don’t.
YZ: I think I have no more questions. Thank you very much!
JC: All right! Very good!
Next Interview: Dr. John B. Clemmons (second interview)