Samuel O. Poole was born in Americus Georgia on March 31, 1925. He attended public schools in Americus and Emory University in 1942. He graduated from Emory University School of Medicine in 1949. He did his postgraduate medical training at Barnes Hospital-Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri and Grady Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. In 1952, his post-graduate medical training was interrupted when he entered the United States Army Medical Corp and served from 1952-1953 as an internist for a Mobile Army Surgical Hospital (MASH) in Korea. Subsequently he completed his training in internal Medicine and Cardiology at the Grady Memorial Hospital and Emory University School of Medicine. In the late 1950’s Dr. Poole entered private practice with Dr. Henry Jennings and subsequently Dr. W.D. Stribling and Dr. James Butts. These four physicians were the founders of the Northeast Georgia Diagnostic Clinic in 1972. In 1968, Dr. Poole was instrumental in the development of one of the first coronary care units in this state at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center. He served as Director of the Coronary Care Unit from 1968 to 1990. One of his major interests was teaching and training nurses in all aspects of cardiovascular disease. In 1979, he was made the first Director of Cardiology at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, a position held until 1992. Dr. Poole in his later years played an important role in the development of the Good News Community Health Center and served as its Medical Director since 1995. He was instrumental in raising funds for both the initial medical building as well as the addition of a dental clinic. He considered his work with Good News Clinic to be one of his greatest contributions.