Dr. Patterson has more than 25 years of experience as a surgeon and wound care provider. He is the Medical Director of the Archbold Center for Wound Management and the Trauma Medical Director of the Archbold Level II Trauma Center at the John D. Archbold Memorial Hospital. Dr. Patterson received his bachelors of science in biology from Mercer University of Atlanta, where he also attended graduate studies in physiology. He has been in surgery for more than 35 years, working his way through college as a Certified Surgical Technologist and scrub nurse, eventually becoming a surgical assistant in the field of cardiac surgery and cardiac transplant for several years and during portions of medical school. He received his Doctorate of Medicine from the Medical College of Georgia, where he stayed for his internship and residency in general surgery. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Surgery, a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a Certified Wound Specialist (CWS), having sat for the very first CWS examination in 1999. Dr. Patterson has a very active surgical practice, specializing in breast cancer, vascular surgery, including venous surgery and distal arterial reconstruction, access surgery, skin, soft tissue, and wound-related surgeries. His nonsurgical interests are in the areas of noninvasive vascular evaluation, nutrition, atypical wounds, and environmental wounds. He also has an interest in snake bites and other envenomations. He holds positions as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Surgery, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta University, and as a Clinical Instructor of Surgery, Florida State University College of Medicine. He enjoys teaching and has won several awards in education. He is involved with the teaching of residents, medical students, and physician assistant students. He and his team from the Archbold Center for Wound Management and Hyperbaric Medicine won the 2003 SAWC research award for their work, Venous screening by photoplethysmography for the pre-ulcer detection of venous insufficiency in the general population. Dr. Patterson is a former member of the Board of Directors for the AAWC. When not working, Dr. Patterson enjoys reading, cooking, hunting, traveling, raising his Boykin and Springer spaniels, and spending time with his family.