History of Abraham Verghese in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: May 29, 2025

Abraham Verghese is a distinguished American physician and accomplished author. He holds prominent positions at Stanford University Medical School, including the Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professorship, Vice Chair for the Theory & Practice of Medicine, and Internal Medicine Clerkship Director. Beyond his medical career, Verghese is celebrated for his literary contributions, having penned two memoirs and two best-selling novels. He also co-hosts the Medscape podcast "Medicine and the Machine" with Eric Topol, further demonstrating his commitment to exploring the intersection of medicine and technology.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1900: Setting of 'The Covenant of Water'

The book "The Covenant of Water", published in May 2023, is set between 1900 and the 1970s in Kerala, a coastal territory at the southern tip of India. It follows three generations of a family in which one or more people in each generation has mysteriously died from drowning.

The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club)

Check it on Amazon

1955: Abraham Verghese Born

In 1955, Abraham Verghese was born. He is an American physician and author, holding positions at Stanford University Medical School and co-hosting the Medscape podcast Medicine and the Machine. He is also a best-selling author.

1974: Education Interrupted by Civil Unrest

In 1974, Abraham Verghese's medical education in Ethiopia was interrupted by civil unrest due to the deposition of Emperor Haile Selassie. He left the country to join his parents in America and worked as a hospital orderly.

1979: Awarded Bachelor of Medicine

In 1979, Abraham Verghese was awarded a Bachelor of Medicine degree from Madras University after completing his medical studies at Madras Medical College in India and finishing an internship there.

1983: Completed Residency and Took Fellowship

In 1983, Abraham Verghese completed his residency and subsequently took a fellowship at Boston University School of Medicine.

1985: Returned to Johnson City as Assistant Professor

In 1985, Abraham Verghese returned to Johnson City as an assistant professor of medicine and encountered the early signs of rural AIDS. Witnessing the tragedy, he later took a break from medicine to study writing.

1991: Position at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center

In 1991, Abraham Verghese accepted a position as Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Infectious Diseases at Texas Tech Health Sciences Center in El Paso, Texas. He was also awarded the Grover E. Murray Distinguished Professorship of Medicine at the Texas Tech School of Medicine.

1991: Completed MFA and Published Short Story

In 1991, Abraham Verghese completed a Master of Fine Arts from the Iowa Writers Workshop at the University of Iowa. Later that year, The New Yorker magazine published his short story "Lilacs", about an AIDS patient who commits suicide.

1994: Published 'My Own Country: A Doctor's Story'

In 1994, Abraham Verghese published his first book, "My Own Country: A Doctor's Story", while teaching in El Paso. The book reflects on his experiences in East Tennessee and insights into his personal transformation during the AIDS epidemic. The book touches on themes of displacement, diaspora, responses to foreignness and the many individuals and families affected by the AIDS epidemic.

My Own Country: A Doctor's Story

Check it on Amazon

1998: 'My Own Country' Made into TV Movie

In 1998, "My Own Country: A Doctor's Story", Abraham Verghese's book, was adapted into a TV movie directed by Mira Nair.

Loading Video...

2007: Joined Stanford University School of Medicine

In 2007, Abraham Verghese joined Stanford University School of Medicine as a tenured professor for the Theory and Practice of Medicine and Associate Chair of Internal Medicine. He also founded the Presence program.

2009: Published Cutting for Stone

In 2009, Abraham Verghese's first novel, "Cutting for Stone", was published by Knopf. The novel, which was about dramatic political changes in Ethiopia, reached #1 on the Independent Booksellers list.

Cutting for Stone

Check it on Amazon

2009: Reissue of The Tennis Partner

In 2009, Abraham Verghese's second memoir, "The Tennis Partner: A Story of Friendship and Loss", was reissued. The book explores physician drug abuse and the breakdown of his first marriage.

The Tennis Partner: A Doctor's Story of Friendship and Loss

Check it on Amazon

2010: Paperback Version of Cutting for Stone Published

In 2010, Random House published the paperback version of Abraham Verghese's novel, "Cutting for Stone", which remained on The New York Times list for over two years.

Cutting for Stone

Check it on Amazon

2011: Elected to Institute of Medicine

In 2011, Abraham Verghese was elected as a member of the Institute of Medicine.

2014: Received Heinz Award

In 2014, Abraham Verghese received the 19th Annual Heinz Award in the Arts and Humanities.

2015: Received National Humanities Medal

In 2015, President Barack Obama presented Abraham Verghese with the National Humanities Medal.

May 2023: Published The Covenant of Water

In May 2023, "The Covenant of Water" by Abraham Verghese was published by Grove Atlantic and selected for Oprah's Book Club. The story is set between 1900 and the 1970s in Kerala, India, and follows three generations of a family with a mysterious history of drownings.

The Covenant of Water (Oprah's Book Club)

Check it on Amazon

2023: Emphasis on Patient-Centered Medicine at Stanford

At Stanford University in 2023, Abraham Verghese continued to emphasize patient-centered bedside medicine and the physical exam. He highlighted "The Stanford 25" initiative and discussed how his writing skills enhance his patient interactions.