LTC Mark Taylor, MD (1962-2004): Lieutenant Colonel Mark Douglas Taylor was an Army physician and surgeon who was killed in action in 2004 while serving with a Forward Surgical Team in Fallujah, Iraq. Mark graduated from the University of California at Davis with a BS in Chemistry and went on to obtain a Pharm D. at UC San Francisco and his MD/MPH at the George Washington University School of Medicine. He completed an internship in General Surgery at Madigan Army Medical Center, and then a residency in General Surgery at UC Irvine. Following residency he returned to active duty and was assigned as a staff surgeon at Womack Army Medical Center, Fort Bragg, NC. During his second combat deployment to Iraq, Mark was notified that he had been awarded a fellowship in advanced laparoscopic surgery. On March 20, 2004, Mark was killed in action while attempting to render aid during an indirect fire attack on his base in Fallujah. His awards and decorations include the Combat Medical Badge, Purple Heart, Army Commendation Medal, and the Bronze Star Medal.
The LTC Mark Taylor Memorial Lecture in Trauma was established in 2005 by unanimous vote of the US Army MEDCEN Program Directors, and installed as one of the key named lectures at the annual Gary P. Wratten Army Surgical Symposium. In honor of Mark’s dedication and selfless service, the invited speaker is chosen based on a history of significant contributions to trauma care and research, as well as their support of the advancement of military medicine. The Society of Military Surgeons and the Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons are proud to be able to continue this lecture in honor of a fallen comrade who embodied the highest ideals of our profession. His life and his example to us all will not be forgotten.