John Tarpley completed his undergraduate education at Vanderbilt University and earned his medical degree from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine before training in surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He spent two years at the National Cancer Institute, Surgery Branch during residency. After completing his general surgery residency, Dr. Tarpley committed himself to surgical education for an underserved population, and spent 15 years in southwest Nigeria directing house-officer training at the Baptist Medical Centre, Ogbomosho. He continues to visit Nigeria to teach and cultivate long-time relationships and remains an active member of the West African College of Surgeons.
John Tarpley retired from Vanderbilt in 2016. Since then he has worked in Kenya, Rwanda and Botswana.