Reunion Spotlight

How did DGSOM uniquely prepare you for a career in medicine? I believe that a significant part of what prepared me for a career in medicine was my life experiences, relationships, and trials and tribulations that we all face. However, the DGSOM, being a relatively young medical school in its ascendancy vis-à-vis the pantheon of medical schools, perhaps due to its relative youth, though academically rigorous, offered me opportunities and challenges.

Can you share a fond memory from medical school? My wife, who passed three years ago, said that medical school was one of the best times of her life, and I would have to say the same. Despite the stresses of learning a voluminous amount of material and paying expenses, I got to meet many new people from all walks of life; perhaps more succinctly, I could say it was a fond privilege. One of my classmates, Harland Winter, and I prepared a spontaneous cookout in a parking structure now occupied by the Reagan Medical Center. A large part of our class attended. Maybe some of them will attend the 50^th reunion and recall that five-star meal! I remember Dr. Ned Langdon making a small but significant loan to me, and when I went to repay the loan, he refused. He advised me to do the same for someone else in need. I never forgot his kindness, and I try to do similar deeds. It was an honor to speak at his memorial on campus.

Your 50th Reunion is coming up this year. What would you tell your younger self after so many years of practice? I would say to my younger self: Use the talents with which you are bestowed to the best of your abilities along the road of your medical career. Put thought in a persistent fashion as to how best to balance professional pursuits, including service to others, maintenance of skills, personal and professional economics, and family responsibilities; do not neglect engaging in enjoyable pursuits with family and friends. Joys and sorrows will show up on the docket regardless of whether you are ready or not.

What is your proudest professional accomplishment?  Looking back, I would have to say my proudest accomplishments are elemental—getting into and finishing medical school, followed by completion of a straight medicine internship and a diagnostic radiology residency both at Harbor UCLA, and a two-year neuroradiology fellowship at LAC/USC, followed by becoming a senior member of the American Society of Neuroradiology. However, the relationships and friends that I acquired along the way were of immense value to me.

When you graduated, the School of Medicine was quite young. How has the school changed, and what are you proudest of for your alma mater? An obvious increase in the number of women comprising classes from two in 1951 (26 men) to over 50% recently. I am proudest of the school's academic and scientific reputation and its continued efforts to recruit talented, economically deprived students.

Message to classmates: While I am sure that we have all diverged along many paths following medical school, we all share the common experience of having attended and graduated from the DGSOM. I look forward to seeing my classmates and reconnecting at our 50^th reunion.