UAMS Invests Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., in Harry P. Ward Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair
| LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) invested Chancellor C. Lowry Barnes, M.D., in the Harry P. Ward Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair during a Sept. 29 ceremony.
“In this prestigious chair, I hope to lead by the example of the many chairholders who preceded me, including that of Chancellor Harry P. Ward, a man who I have greatly admired and whose legacy I am determined to honor and continue,” said Barnes.
“UAMS has given me more than I could have ever asked for, including providing me with the skills to become an excellent physician and orthopaedic surgeon, allowing me to create an orthopaedic hospital right here on campus, and this year, to become chancellor of this institution,” he continued. “I am beyond grateful, I remain humble, and I promise the people of Arkansas that we are prepared to provide the care that they deserve.”
Barnes was named chancellor of UAMS on Feb. 5 after serving as interim chancellor for seven months. A fellowship-trained, board-certified orthopaedic surgeon specializing in hip and knee joint reconstruction and replacement, he joined UAMS in 2014 as professor and chair of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation. He is also the founding director of The Orthopaedic and Spine Hospital at UAMS, a hospital located on UAMS’s Little Rock campus that brings world-class orthopaedic, spine, and pain experts together under one roof.
As chancellor, Barnes has spearheaded efforts to grow UAMS’s revenue to create a sustainable and self-sufficient healthcare system, increase research funding, accelerate philanthropic funding, increase employee wages, and work with executive leadership to create a culture of exceptional hospitality.
Guest speakers at the ceremony included Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders; Alice Walton, founder of the Alice Walton Foundation; Charles F. Robinson, chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville; and Kevin Crass, assistant secretary of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees. Jay B. Silveria, president of the University of Arkansas System, presided over the investiture ceremony, while he and James R. “Randy” Lawson, chair of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, presented the medallion to Barnes.
“Dr. Lowry Barnes and I share something special: Pine Bluff was the first place we both called home,” said Sanders. “From there, he went on to train at UAMS and become one of the nation’s leading orthopaedic surgeons, proving that Arkansans don’t have to leave home to achieve at the highest level. As we work to improve health care across our state, partnerships between UAMS, state government, and communities across Arkansas will be critical for reaching more patients and building a healthier state. I’m proud to celebrate Lowry as he takes on the Harry P. Ward Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair and carries forward a legacy of excellence at UAMS.”
An endowed chair is among the highest academic honors a university can bestow on a faculty member. A distinguished chair is established with gifts of at least $1.5 million, which are invested with the interest proceeds used to support the educational, research, and clinical activities of the chair holder. Those named to a chair are among the most highly regarded scientists, physicians, and professors in their fields.
The Harry P. Ward Chancellor’s Distinguished Chair was endowed in 2005 to honor the countless accomplishments of Harry P. Ward, M.D., who served as chancellor of UAMS from 1979-2000. The Willard and Pat Walker Charitable Foundation provided the lead gift of $1 million for the chancellor’s chair, which drew support from other donors to meet the $2.5 million endowment. During the 21 years Ward was at its helm, UAMS evolved into an internationally recognized academic health center — it saw transforming growth in student enrollment, a tenfold increase in external research dollars, and the completion of over $200 million in major construction projects. I. Dodd Wilson, M.D., who served as chancellor from 2000-2009, was the inaugural recipient of the chair.
Raised in Pine Bluff, Barnes received a Bachelor of Science in natural sciences and zoology from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville in 1981. He earned his medical degree with honors from the UAMS College of Medicine in 1986, before completing his internship and residency in orthopaedic surgery at UAMS as well. He completed an Adult Reconstructive Surgery and Arthritis Surgery Fellowship at Brigham & Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston. He was then selected to participate in the prestigious John N. Insall Traveling Fellowship as well as an AO/ASIF (Association for the Study of Internal Fixation) Adult Orthopaedic Fellowship at Inselspital in Bern, Switzerland.
“I believe an essential quality that makes Lowry well suited for the role of chancellor of UAMS is his connection to rural Arkansas, roots that we share and both believe are important towards the prosperity of this state and wider region,” said Walton, founder of Alice L. Walton School of Medicine and Heartland Whole Health Institute.
“The transformation of Arkansas’ healthcare system must include robust collaborations throughout the state, and Lowry has always been a bridge builder, bringing people together for the common good,” she added. “I’m confident that Chancellor Barnes will accelerate statewide efforts toward a healthier future for every Arkansan.”
Widely recognized as one of the foremost joint replacement experts in the world, Barnes has made substantial contributions to research focused on the hip and knee, publishing more than 350 peer-reviewed articles. He lectures nationally and internationally on total joint replacement surgery and holds seven patents for orthopaedic surgery devices and implants. He has held numerous national leadership roles, including president of the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons, and remains active in leading orthopaedic societies worldwide.
Before returning to UAMS, Barnes practiced at Arkansas Specialty Orthopaedics in Little Rock, where he served more than a decade as president and managing partner.
In 2017, he was invested in the Carl L. Nelson, M.D. Distinguished Chair in Orthopaedic Surgery.
“I have known Lowry for more than 55 years, and he is a committed leader who has a deep love for Arkansas,” said Crass. “As a Board of Trustees member, I am glad he is chancellor at UAMS; as an Arkansan, I am glad that he is so committed to improving healthcare in our state. He is uniquely qualified to lead UAMS now and take on the challenges facing healthcare. In addition to his professional accomplishments, I admire and respect him as a dedicated family man and true friend to many.”
UAMS is the state’s only health sciences university, with colleges of Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Health Professions and Public Health; a graduate school; a hospital; a main campus in Little Rock; a Northwest Arkansas regional campus in Fayetteville; a statewide network of regional campuses; and seven institutes: the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute, Jackson T. Stephens Spine & Neurosciences Institute, Harvey & Bernice Jones Eye Institute, Psychiatric Research Institute, Donald W. Reynolds Institute on Aging, Translational Research Institute, and the Institute for Community Health Innovation. UAMS includes UAMS Health, a statewide health system that encompasses all of UAMS’ clinical enterprise. UAMS is the only adult Level 1 trauma center in the state. UAMS has 3,553 students and 1,030 medical residents and fellows, and two dental residents. It is the state’s largest public employer with about 12,000 employees, including 1,200 physicians who provide care to patients at UAMS, its regional campuses, Arkansas Children’s, the VA Medical Center and Baptist Health. Visit www.uams.edu or uamshealth.com. Find us on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube or Instagram.###