Dr. Tribble is a longtime thoracic surgeon who implanted the first ventricular assist device and directed the VAD/transplant team at the University of Virginia before helping develop and lead the Lifeflow VAD Project at the University of Florida.

Dr. Tribble received the B.S. in biology in 1975 and the B.A. in English in 1976 from Presbyterian College, Clinton, S.C., where he was valedictorian of his classes. He earned the M.D. at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tenn., in 1980. His postgraduate training included stints as an intern in surgery from 1980-81, a resident in surgery from 1981-85 and a resident in thoracic and cardiovascular surgery from 1985-87 at the University of Virginia.

He joined the UVA School of Medicine faculty in 1987 as an instructor in surgery and quickly rose through the ranks to professor of surgery there in 1994. In 2000, he was named Claude Jessup Chair in Surgery. Throughout his career at UVA, he served as co-director for thoracic transplant service and became director of the Ventricular Support Program in 1994. He became associate program director of thoracic surgical residency in 1997 and began serving as vice-chair of the Department of Surgery in 2002.

Tribble left UVA in 2006 to become chief of the Division of Thoracic Surgery at the University of Florida, where he also served as program director of the thoracic residency and vice chair of the Department of Surgery.

Tribble's research in cardiovascular VAD implantation and transplantation has been continuously funded by national extramural agencies since 1988, and he has made numerous presentations at professional meetings. He has authored or co-authored more than 200 articles in peer-reviewed publications, 14 book chapters and several invited articles and abstracts, and is the author of a book, ICU Recall. A member of Best Doctors in America, Tribble has received numerous awards, including the 2008 Tiki Award from the Southern Thoracic Surgical Association, and was honored by residents and faculty at the University of Virginia who created the Curt Tribble Resident Teaching Award to recognize "extraordinary teaching" by a surgical resident.