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President’s Letter
Through the Past, Brightly
By Stephen J. Ezzo, MD Hill, and the greatest frozen custard place on earth (several trips) once
again, was reassuring.
Irecently returned from my 30th medical school reunion at St. Louis
University. While the attendance was not as great as I had hoped, it The St. Louis skyline is among the most iconic in the world. Sure, it’s not
was wonderful catching up with those who did attend. as vast as NYC or Chicago, nor does it have the natural scenic background
Physicians are trained observers, enabling us to make correct beauty of Seattle, but once you see it with the Gateway Arch sheltering
diagnoses and provide better care. As St. Louis native Lorenzo Pietro it all, it will stay with you always. (Caveat: The area around the Arch is
Berra once said, “You can observe a lot just by watching.” (RIP, Yogi). So undergoing a facelift, so wait until 2017 to visit. And contact me for any
permit me to share my observations three decades in the making. recommendations you might want.)
The past is never dead. It’s not even past.* The emotions that My classmates are tough. I heard stories of hardships — divorce, death of
emerged as I drove familiar streets and toured old lecture halls were spouses, houses/offices destroyed by natural disasters, chronic illnesses and
almost diametrically opposed. At times, it seemed it had been all a battles with cancer — but never was there pity expressed or asked for. These
dream and I was never there; other times it was as if the 30 years had merely were a part of their life’s journey. Resilience is a hot topic these days
ended only last week. in our profession, with abundant seminars to help one “learn” resiliency.
But I think it is life that best teaches resiliency. Take home message for me?
October without baseball in St. Lou just ain’t right. Two days prior to Stop complaining. Your life is pretty good by comparison.
my arrival, the Cubs knocked my beloved Cardinals out of the playoffs
(to all you Cubs fans out there, I guess if you beat us every 12-15 years, My classmates are smart ... unabashed bias here. The Class of 1985
that’s tolerable). But I was pinning my hopes on getting to one of the two diaspora landed us in training programs at Yale, Vanderbilt, Emory,
games I figured would be at Busch Stadium during my trip. There was a Mayo, even CHS, and we did more than hold our own. We achieved,
somberness to the town, the finality had not sunk in. Wait ‘til next year. whether it be in the private setting, academia, administration, state
medical boards and societies.
There was little drift among the physicians. Several were practicing in the
field they originally trained in. There was a number of independent docs, Legacies loom large. Although a small percentage of alums attended,
who were fiercely throwing out terms like “dinosaur” and “last bastion.” more than half of us had a child applying to med school, in med school/
Still, those affiliated with large organizations and the academics were just residency, or already out in practice. What a refreshing discovery. We hear
as content, although the academics bemoaned the fact their lectures were so much about MDs saying they would tell their children never to enter the
sparsely attended by students, as everything is now podcasted. medical profession. Here was something directly counter. If we can’t be role
models for our children, who can we serve?
It seems medical students are younger than ever and enthusiastic and
involved in way more extra-curricular activities than I ever was (does the Thank those that trained you. Fewer of our professors/mentors still
basketball rec league count?). I’m not sure I would be admitted today, or practice, but we had the opportunity to thank some still there. We all stood
maybe it is just different. on the shoulders of others to get to where we are today.
Surprisingly, retirement was not a hot topic. I thought more of us would Honor those whose journey has come to a much-too-soon end. To Bill,
be planning an exit strategy. But everyone seemed to enjoy working and Ed, Mike, Giff, Kevin and Michael (all men!) – we miss you. Thanks for
was looking forward to many more productive years. your years of friendship. We are better physicians and persons for having
had you in our lives.
Change is good, really. A part of us secretly hopes our halls of education
never change, because, dang it, if it was good enough for us, it’s good I urge you to attend your next med school reunion. There will be laughter,
enough for the next generations. But, the new buildings, green spaces tears, and more than a few surprises – seeing classmates you never dreamed
and activity fields on campus were a welcome improvement over the would show up was “Sunday Gravy.”
dilapidated, boarded-up houses that once surrounded us. They had removed
the concrete courtyard where we met Friday afternoons to enjoy a cold “Man’s youth is a wonderful thing: it is so full of anguish and magic
beverage or two. Upon reflection, encouraging regular alcohol use by med and he never comes to know it as it is, until it has gone from him forever.”
students probably wasn’t the wisest thing. Thomas Wolfe
Learning “outside your skin” is better. The accompanying CME during *Quote from William Faulkner.
reunion week was on the Aging Brain (appropriate, no?). Not a topic
pediatricians normally would flock to, but one that aging physicians would, .
especially since studies demonstrate we begin to lose our ability to learn
new things in our 50s. I find myself more and more attending lectures Question: When was the first recorded anti-vaccine movement?
that have as much to do with me as a “patient” as well as a practitioner. See page 8 for the answer.
Incidentally, learning new things helps slow the brain aging process.
Old haunts are still the best. Those places that remain after 30 years
keep us grounded. To visit our favorite restaurants, Italian delis on The
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