Biographical Text
Emeritus Director of Student Health Services Dr. Derrick was born March 30, 1939, at his home in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was the second of three children. After his graduation from Spartanburg High School in 1957, Derrick attended Duke University on a scholarship. Physics was his intended major, but, during his second year at Duke, he realized his true love was medicine. He then transferred to Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, fully intending to become a medical missionary. Derrick graduated from the Medical University of South Carolina in 1965 and interned at the Medical Center Hospital in Columbus, Georgia. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1966 and served as flight surgeon at United States Army Headquarters, Zama, Japan. Derrick married Elizabeth (Liz) King in 1960, during his senior year at Wofford College. Elizabeth, a sophomore at Converse College in Spartanburg, then transferred to the College of Charleston. After graduating from this college, Elizabeth began to teach. She completed twenty years of teaching at the North Carolina School for the Deaf, instructing one-, two-, and three-year-old children and their parents. The Derricks have five children, two of whom are adopted. In 1968, the Derricks moved to Boone, North Carolina, where Dr. Derrick planned to set up his general practice. Since neither the new hospital nor the office in which he would establish his practice were ready for occupancy, he worked in the old infirmary at Appalachian State Teachers' College (now Appalachian State University) for about six months. After this Dr. Derrick was in private practice for eight years, doing as he says, "A bit of everything in medicine"; however, coming back to the university was always on his mind. He made the move in 1976, beginning what he terms "his love affair" with Appalachian State University. Dr. Derrick states that he "absolutely loved caring for the health needs of the students" and looked forward to going to work every Mon-day morning. Dr. Derrick was a fellow of the American College Health Association and was chair of the athletic medicine section for several years. He was also a member and past president of the Southern College Health Association. Among the honors Dr. Derrick received at Appalachian State University are the Outstanding Service Award by the Alpha Chi National Honor Society, the Plemmons Medallion for Service to Student Affairs, and the Charles Bohmann Award for Service to Student Health. Along with having been physician for the athletic teams at Appalachian State, Dr. Derrick has been physician for the United States Team to the Deaflympics (or the World Games for the Deaf). Since 1977, he has traveled every four years with the United States team, caring for our deaf athletes all around the world, including the countries of Romania, Germany, New Zealand, Denmark, Bulgaria, Italy, and-in 2004-Australia. Since retiring, Dr. Derrick and his wife have done a good bit of traveling and remodeled their home themselves. The couple has 10 grandchildren, five of whom live within 100 yards of their residence. They are active with Disaster Relief, having worked in Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi following hurricanes in those areas. Dr. Derrick maintains close contacts with Student Health Services at ASU, and he says he misses serving as physician director at the facility. "I am absolutely happy and satisfied with where I am now and with what I am doing, but my tenure at ASU continues to bring back interesting and pleasant memories and continues to reestablish old relationships, especially with former students. They are responsible for whatever success I enjoy." Source: Personal correspondence. -Dr. Kay R. Dickson
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