Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews celebrates many years’ experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. Known as one of the “top vitamin D experts in the world,” Dr. Matthews is currently a full-time faculty member at Morehouse School of Medicine in Atlanta in the department of surgery. Appointed as a full professor of clinical surgery in the fall of 2018, he also serves as the director of surgical critical care and trauma surgery.
In July 2017, Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta appointed Matthews SICU Guidelines Committee Director and Interim Co-ICU Director. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in chemistry, cum laude, at the University of Mississippi in 1985, followed by an MD in 1989, surgical residency training at Morehouse School of Medicine, and a two-year surgical critical care fellowship at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, MN. Prior to joining the Morehouse School of Medicine, Dr. Matthews served as a faculty member at the Mayo Clinic, and soon thereafter, as a senior associate consultant in the department of trauma, critical care and general surgery.
A diplomate of the American Board of Surgery, Dr. Matthews earned certification in general surgery and surgical critical care. Focusing his career on the study of vitamin D deficiency in surgical intensive care patients, where he has been investigating the positive effect of vitamin D therapy on critically ill patients, Dr. Matthews has researched and published many vitamin D deficiency manuscripts, developed a protocol for the use of vitamin D and other nutrients for the sickest patients in the surgical intensive care unit at his hospital, and continues to investigate the treatment of concussions, traumatic brain injuries, chronic inflammation, chronic pain, joint pain, strokes, myocardial infarctions, congestive heart failure, cancer, sepsis, surgical infections and rapid wound healing in trauma patients with vitamin D3.
He has also contributed numerous articles that have been published in the following journals: such as prestigious New England Journal of Medicine; the Journal
of the American College of Surgeons; the American Surgeon; the Western Journal of Emergency Medicine; and the Journal of National Medical Association. In addition to his work at Morehouse School of Medicine and Grady Memorial Hospital, Dr. Matthews has lectured in such places as Dubai and various other Middle Eastern countries. He has also spoken before the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Washington, D.C. six times, where he most recently presented on the clinical updates in vitamin D research. He was the first person to ever speak regarding vitamin supplements for the FDA. Furthermore, Dr. Matthews has
also given several presentations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, state and local governments, schools and universities, as well as top military generals, and has been recognized for his work on the effect of vitamin D on athletic performance and the treatment of concussions.
An elected fellow of the American College of Surgeons, a member of the Royal Society of Medicine, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, Dr. Matthews is well known in his community for his work and for giving back. He has donated time and money to support children in his hometown and the Atlanta metropolitan area. When he isn’t busy working, Dr. Matthews enjoys winding down after a long day by listening to jazz and R&B music. He also loves to read, watch old movies, play tennis, have dinner with friends and run. In recognition of outstanding contributions to his profession the State of Mississippi Legislature in their 2015 Regular Session introduced “House Resolution 72” commending the accomplishments of its native son, Dr. Leslie Ray Matthews, for advancements made in Vitamin D research and treatments. In 2017 Matthews was presented with the “Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award” and in 2018 Matthews was named among elite researchers and scientists invited to join “The Royal Society of Medicine” as an Overseas Fellow. The Royal Society of Medicine is one of the world’s most prestigious L. Ray Matthews, MD, FACS Professor of Surgery | Director of Surgical Critical Care Morehouse School of Medicine | Atlanta, GA Trauma and Critical Care Surgeon SICU Guidelines Committee Director | Interim Co-ICU Director Grady Memorial Hospital | Atlanta, GA and well-respected medical societies. Previous members include Charles Darwin, Louis Pasteur, Sigmund Freud, Edwin Jenner, Prince Philip and Prince Charles. Prince William was selected as an Honorary Fellow in January 2018.
Matthews’ accomplishments over the past few months include: being inducted as a Fellow of the American College of Critical Care Medicine (FCCM) on February 18, 2019; name engraved at the Royal Society of Medicine, Wall of Honor Ceremony on March 31,2019; featured vitamin D speaker at the 2019 Abu Dhabi International Vitamin D Conference; interviewed as a vitamin D expert on Mongolian National TV (broadcasted to 3.16 million) on April 17, 2019; and invited to speak at the Food and Drug Enforcement (FDA) in Washington, D.C. later this year for a record 7 the time on vitamin D (date to be determined).
