May 14, 2016
Vanderbilt’s Dr. Harrison “Buster” Shull, Jr. was awarded the 2016 SEC Team Physician of the Year earlier this month at the 13th annual SEC Sports Medicine Conference in Opelika, Ala.
The annual honor is awarded to a physician who is recognized for his dedication, commitment and service to their school’s student-athletes and athletics department, and is voted on by representatives from all 14 SEC schools.
Dr. Shull began his service to the Vanderbilt athletes in 1988. He is credited with spearheading the effort to provide our student-athletes with access to many of the world’s experts across all disciplines of medicine throughout the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Specializing in gastroenterology, Dr. Shull has served the Commodores as a primary care team physician for the past 27 years, dedicating and donating his time and talent to the continual improvement of the entire Sports Medicine program here at Vanderbilt.
A proud native of Nashville, Dr. Shull attended Battle Ground Academy before graduating from Vanderbilt in 1966. He went to medical school at the University of Tennessee at Memphis before returning to Vanderbilt where he completed his internship, residency and fellowship training.
He then served in the United States Army, stationed at the 97th General Hospital in Frankfurt, Germany where he earned a Medal of Commendation before returning to Nashville in 1977 where he joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in the Department of Gastroenterology.
Dr. Shull has been an active leader in the Nashville community serving many roles, including Vice President and President of the Tennessee Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy and President of the Digestive Disease Endoscopy Association. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Faith Family Medical Clinic.
When not attending to the Commodores’ medical needs, Dr. Shull can often be found outdoors as he enjoys hiking, golf and snow skiing as his hobbies. He and his wife of 47 years, Cathy, also enjoy spending time with their three children and two grandchildren.
Dr. Shull is the second Vanderbilt Team Physician to win this award, joining Dr. Kurt Spindler in 2007.
