Dr. Anthony Petro Inducted into Hall of Fame
This Eastover resident was recently awarded Hall of Fame status at University of Mississippi Medical Center.
Dr. Anthony Petro was recently inducted into the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s Hall Of Fame. This award is to honor graduates for their legacies.
Dr. Petro, a native of Leland, MS, attended Mississippi State University on a football scholarship. In his third year he was accepted into the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He enrolled in 1965, the year after the first heart transplant by Dr. James Hardy. After his first year, he was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship and inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He graduated in 1969.
Dr. Petro, a native of Leland, MS, attended Mississippi State University on a football scholarship. In his third year he was accepted into the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. He enrolled in 1965, the year after the first heart transplant by Dr. James Hardy. After his first year, he was awarded the Dean’s Scholarship and inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society. He graduated in 1969.
Dr. Petro's initial post-graduate training was at Vanderbilt University where he completed an internal medicine residency. This was a wonderful experience, but he realized that his passion was acute hospital care. A phone call to Dr. Hardy secured his residency.
Upon completion, Dr. Petro served as attending surgeon at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, where he supervised the surgical residents. He returned to Jackson in 1977 and joined a clinical surgical practice, and served tenures as chief of surgery at St. Dominics and Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. All the while, he maintained a relationship with UMMC.
Upon completion, Dr. Petro served as attending surgeon at Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, where he supervised the surgical residents. He returned to Jackson in 1977 and joined a clinical surgical practice, and served tenures as chief of surgery at St. Dominics and Mississippi Baptist Medical Center. All the while, he maintained a relationship with UMMC.
Among his many accomplishments were authoring a chapter in Dr. Hardy’s book, Critical Surgical Illness, lecturing at the Surgical Forums which had nationwide attendance, and receiving the Dr. Fred Rushton Faculty Teaching Award from the Department of Surgery in 2021, the year he retired. Dr. Petro is grateful for a long, successful career and has much respect for the physicians he worked with during his 44 years of practicing medicine.
Three generations of the Petro family have graduated from UMMC and completed residencies, including his uncle, and daughters Melanie and Michelle, who lives right next door with her family. Dr. Petro's grandson, Rhodes Pharr, will also be attending University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
The Petros have enjoyed living in Eastover since their house was completed in 1991. Mary Ann had much input in the design of their home on Swan Lake, where the doctor and his wife love watching the two swans and multitude of ducks, geese, and other birds that live on the lake.
Three generations of the Petro family have graduated from UMMC and completed residencies, including his uncle, and daughters Melanie and Michelle, who lives right next door with her family. Dr. Petro's grandson, Rhodes Pharr, will also be attending University of Mississippi School of Medicine.
The Petros have enjoyed living in Eastover since their house was completed in 1991. Mary Ann had much input in the design of their home on Swan Lake, where the doctor and his wife love watching the two swans and multitude of ducks, geese, and other birds that live on the lake.