Charles Wesley “Chuck” Whitten was born in Boonville, Missouri, on February 21, 1958.  His parents were high school teachers/counselors/coaches.  Dr. Whitten graduated from Boonville High School as Valedictorian in 1976 and subsequently entered Southern Methodist University’s School of Engineering.  He graduated Magna Cum Laude in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering with a specialization in biomedical engineering.

Dr. Whitten received all of his medical and post-graduate training in Dallas.  He graduated from medical school in 1984 from UT Southwestern Medical Center, where he also completed his residency in Anesthesiology, graduating in 1988.  He completed a Fellowship in Transplantation Anesthesiology at UT Southwestern/Baylor University Medical Center from 1986-1987.

Dr. Whitten joined the faculty at UT Southwestern in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Management in the summer of 1988.  Since then, he has held a number of administrative positions within the Department, including Director of the Division of Cardiovascular/Thoracic Anesthesiology and Director of the Parkland Health and Hospital Systems—Surgical Services division.  He was named Holder of the M.T. “Pepper” Jenkins Professorship in Anesthesiology in 1998, was promoted to the rank of Professor in 1999 and received tenure in 2005.  Dr. Whitten was named Vice Chairman of Educational Affairs in 2003, appointed the Residency Program Director in 2006, and named Interim Chair of the Department in February 2007.  On September 1, 2008, Dr. Whitten was named Chairman and Holder of the Margaret Milam McDermott Distinguished Chair in Anesthesiology and Pain Management.   

On a national level, Dr. Whitten functions as a Part Two examiner for the American Board of Anesthesiology.  He developed an interest in “generational differences in the workplace” in the early 90s and receives frequent invitations to lecture on this topic as well as “professionalism” and leadership.   Dr. Whitten’s research interests include peri-operative inflammatory responses and peri-operative hemostatic alterations, in addition to economic factors influencing academic anesthesiology.

On a personal note, Dr. Whitten states that his greatest personal assets are his wife Cheri, and his Mom, Dorothy Whitten, who still resides in Boonville, Missouri.  He loves college basketball (particularly his beloved Missouri Tigers), college and professional football, and professional hockey.  Dr. Whitten is passionate about golf, and loves the smell of fresh cut grass on a beautiful morning!!!!