Dr. Sharp, a Florida native, graduated from the University of Florida in 1973. His medical school education was at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, graduating in 1977. He did his surgical training at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, including a year in surgical research at the Loch Raven Veterans Hospital and six months at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England. He served as the Halsted Chief in 1983-1984.
Dr. Sharp joined the faculty at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in 1984 as an Assistant Professor of Surgery and is currently Professor of Surgery and Vice Chair of the Section of Surgical Sciences for Faculty Promotion and Development.
Dr. Sharp has published a number of eclectic book chapters and papers spanning the broad field of general surgery including minimally invasive surgery, gastrointestinal surgery, trauma, surgical education and oncology topics.
He has served to represent general surgery in numerous surgical organizations. He has served as President of the Tennessee Chapter of the American College of Surgeons (2001) and President of the Southeastern Surgical Congress 2004 (and served as the Secretary Director of the Southeastern Surgical Congress from 2004-2015). He received the Distinguished Service Award from the SESC in 2017. He served as First Vice President of The Southern Surgical Association from 2010-2011. His national representation has included service as a Director of the American Board of Surgery (2006-2012) where he was Chair of the Gastrointestinal Surgery Advisory Council for four years. He has been an active member of the Halsted Society serving on the Halsted Society Board of Directors and as President of the Halsted Society 2017-2018. He has served in numerous positions for the American College of Surgeons - as a Governor of the American College of Surgeons where he served as the Chair of the Committee on Physician Competency and Health and as the Chair of the Nominating Committee of the Governors. He has served as a representative and Vice Chair to the Advisory Council for General Surgery and to the Advisory Council for Rural Surgery of the American College of Surgeons. He has been on the Program Committee since 2013 and served as Vice Chair of the Program Committee 2015-2017. He is a Director and Board Member of the American College of Surgeons Foundation serving as the Secretary of the Foundation from 2014-2017 and continues as an active fundraiser and Regent Liaison to the Foundation. In 2018 he was elected as a Regent in the American College of Surgeons and serves on the Communications Committee, Chair of the Member Services Liaison Committee and the Nominating Committee. He is the Immediate Past President of The Southern Surgical Association.
He is married to Jane Evans Sharp from Dyersburg, Tennessee and has two daughters: Sarah and Katie.
